Demons In This Mirror
by Scordatura
Summary: The sun rises over Death City and wakes everyone from sleep, everyone except for Death the Kid. Something is confining the shinigami to the darkness of his own soul, and while his friends struggle to pull him from comatose, Kid battles twisted demons.
1. Not to be Disturbed

_Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater. It is owned by Atsushi Okubo._

 _Chapter 1: Not to be Disturbed_

 _Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting,_

 _dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before._

 _~ Edgar Allan Poe_

The sun crept over the horizon with disturbing ease, as though it were a sly alley cat fixated on the unsuspecting mouse that was Death City. It bared its teeth in the usual sneer, prodding every individual awake with a piercing light that intruded upon otherwise pleasant dreams. When it began to laugh, residents of the city rose from their beds and set to work preparing for their day just as they'd done the one before and just as they'd do the days after. The sun instigated their monotonous lives and would continue to do so, forever replacing the moon cowering elsewhere in its blissful darkness.

Elizabeth Thompson, although a rebellious soul and irked by the sun's invading light, was no exception to this daily routine. Like any other weekday, she rolled out of bed, reluctant to leave the warmth her duvet provided while stretching for a fleece robe that had been discarded on the floor. She shrugged into the fuzzy material and shoved her toes into one of her deep purple slippers. She'd lost its partner the night before, and even though it meant one of Kid's hissy fits, the demon pistol was too tired to right the asymmetrical wrong.

Luckily, the wooden floor was warm against her bare foot as Liz exited her room and strode down the hall. She came to a stop at the closed door with a few pictures fastened to the wood, gently knocking and calling for her sister. She received the same chipper reply given any other morning and left Patty's room, walking past framed portraits and mirrors and descending down the main staircase.

 _I hope Kid made some coffee or something._ Liz thought as she stifled a tedious yawn. _Caffeinated pancakes, toast, anything. Hell, I just might put coffee in my cereal._

As the young woman passed through the living room, she frowned at the candles situated on the coffee table and above the fireplace. Each one had been extinguished by the three of them before they'd gone to bed. Normally Kid lit them in the morning before she ever awoke, but the wicks were bare.

Liz shrugged, deciding her meister was probably just as tired as herself and strode through the dining room, stretching her arms over her head.

"Kid, I don't smell coffee, and you know how much I need—" Liz faltered as she shouldered open the kitchen door. The granite countertop was without a coffee pot and plates of breakfast. The stovetop was as spotless as the night prior after they'd finished dinner, and there was no sign of anyone having entered the room that morning.

Liz exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose, forcing down a wave of irritation. Didn't Kid say he would take care of breakfast? She clearly remembered a conversation at the dinner table consisting of Kid's promises to make Patty french toast. She remembered her own childish excitement at the thought of fried bread with butter and syrup drizzling down the crispy sides, but this anticipation hadn't been displayed for her meister or sister to see.

"Whatever," Liz muttered, reaching into the cupboard to remove the ancient coffee pot that continued to surprise her with every successful performance. "But when that brat gets his butt down here, I'm serving him burnt toast."

The demon pistol smiled at the thought of her meister's appalled face upon seeing such a wretched breakfast, but there was nothing malicious behind it. Even calling him 'brat', a term that had once been spat with absolute disgust, was now a label of affection for her OCD friend.

"What'cha smiling at, Big Sis?"

Liz turned in bewilderment as Patty skipped into the kitchen with a wide grin on her face. It was odd that Patty had finished getting ready for school before Kid, yet here she was, throwing open the refrigerator door with an over-dramatic flair as though dancing the tango.

"I was going to burn Kid's breakfast," Liz responded, watching Patty balance a carton of eggs on her head while tiptoeing over to the stove. "Did you see him when you came down? He's getting ready, right?"

"I didn't see anything." Patty's voice dropped into a haunting whisper, and she giggled at her older sister's troubled expression. "Kiddo probably wanted to sleep in, Big Sis. He was up late reading all those big books."

Liz nodded in agreement, glancing at the grandfather clock nestled perfectly against the far wall. She would give their meister another ten minutes before allowing Patty to wake the sleeping reaper. A cruel fate, she decided, almost sympathetic, but it would be Kid's own fault.

The two sisters set to work on breakfast, cracking eggs into the warm frying pan and sending bread in and out of the toaster. A pleasant aroma soon filled the kitchen, one that Liz was sure would wake the lazy shinigami residing upstairs. However, after letting twelve minutes go by, Liz gave a sigh of defeat and waved a hand at Patty.

"I can wake him up?" Patty inquired, eyes widening in excitement. "Can I pour ice on him?"

Liz shook her head. "No, don't do anything horrible, okay? Also, you remember that one time you woke me up last month with the nail polish and egg beater? Don't try anything like that, either."

"Aye aye, Big Sis!"

Liz smiled in exasperation as her younger sister darted out of the kitchen, singing merrily while running to fetch their meister. While she waited for the two of them to return, the young woman dished some eggs onto a few slabs of bread, all of which were toasted to crispy perfection. Late as he was, Liz had decided to not turn her meister's food into an abomination. After all, if the grim reaper dedicated so much time to studying and occasionally needed the extra sleep, Liz couldn't show disapproval. Their meister had an overwhelming amount of responsibility, after all.

Liz stepped into the dining room with three plates balanced in her arms, hesitating in sliding one across the table as her expression shifted into a dismal mask. Kid was being suffocated by his duties now more than ever. Ever since Asura's revival and escape from beneath the DWMA, everyone had grown increasingly serious. Numerous students were departing on missions, and the Academy's teachers slipped more talk of the effects of madness into their daily lectures. Hell, even that jokester Black Star had amped up his training routine. Whenever she saw the boy, Liz could swear he was constantly mopping layers of sweat from his tired body.

 _This entire mess with Asura will get worked out soon._ Liz thought, giving a firm nod as though to convince herself. _When it does, we'll throw one hell of a party. After that, Kid can get all the sleep he wants. I wouldn't mind a lazy day either, or a week for that matter._

"Big Sis?"

Liz jumped, jostling a plate of food against the tabletop with an obnoxious clatter before turning to the dining room door with a relieved smile. "Patty, you scared—" When she saw the look on her little sister's face, the sentence fell apart and Liz's soul grew cold.

"Patty, what's wrong?" she demanded, setting down the last plate and approaching her sister. "Is Kid all right?"

Patty stared back at Liz, face paler than the older sister had seen in a long while. The last time she'd looked so sick was when they'd been on their own, living in some dump in Brooklyn. Liz could still remember her sister's colorless, sweaty skin and frightened eyes as the fever clung on with its devastating touch. Patty had looked so scared, just as she did now.

"Patty," Liz repeated, placing both hands on her sister's shoulders and urging her to focus. "What's going on?"

"Kid isn't waking up." The words were relayed in a dead voice, stripped bare of emotion. "Big Sis, I couldn't get him to wake up."

"What?" Liz's initial reaction was to laugh, to scold her sister for messing around, but Patty's face told the unsettling truth. She wasn't joking.

Quickly, Liz passed her sister and started off across the living room floor, her single bare foot slapping against the cool tiling. She could hear Patty hurrying after her, taking the steps two at a time to keep up with the older weapon.

"Was he sleeping too soundly?" Liz demanded, willing the trembling to leave her voice. "I'll bet he's just really tired, that's all."

"I poked and poked at him, Big Sis," Patty responded, watching Liz approach the door to their meister's room, pushing it aside. "His eyes wouldn't open."

Liz gazed into Kid's room, squinting against the sunlight that slipped through the heavy curtains. They'd been partially drawn back, casting a beam of light across the bed lying near the center of the room and the figure sleeping beneath the covers. The rest of the room was tidy, undisturbed the entire morning. Kid's slippers remained near the foot of the bed, and the books he'd been studying the night before had been returned to their shelf. The shinigami gave no indication of having gotten up after falling asleep.

Liz strode over to her meister's bed, reaching out a hand to gently shake the sleeping reaper. Kid was lying on his back and looked quite peaceful, but Liz's careful jostling did nothing to wake him. Even as her tone grew more urgent and she began patting the sides of his head in hopes of rousing him, the shinigami's eyes wouldn't open.

"Kid, we're going to turn the manor into an asymmetrical fiasco!" Patty threatened, rocking her meister's feet back and forth beneath the blankets. "You better get up and stop us!"

The two sisters waited with nervous smiles, hearts fluttering over uneasy stomachs. The taunting had no effect, and although Liz could see the steady movement of her meister's chest from breathing, she checked for a pulse anyway. In both his wrist and just below his jaw, there came the rhythmic dance of blood, but it did little to ease the older sister's anxiety.

Swallowing down an uncomfortable lump in her throat, Liz shook the reaper again. She called his name and clapped her hands inches from his face, but each attempt to wake him ended in failure. It seemed he was in a deep state of unconscious and completely unaware of the waking world.

"Maybe he's sick," Patty offered. "You remember our first day of school when he passed out and had to go home early? He didn't wake up until after dinner that night."

"Patty, I don't think that's the case," Liz responded in a weak voice. She cleared her throat and pulled herself upright, praying her terror wasn't blatantly plastered on her face. "I'm going to call Lord Death. Perhaps he can tell us what is going on, or maybe Stein can help in some way."

"He's going to be okay, Big Sis."

Liz stopped in turning to leave the room, unable to determine if her younger sister's words were meant to be a question or spoken reassuringly. Regardless, she mustered a strong smile and nodded in reply.

"He's the son of Lord Death and meister of the Demons of Brooklyn," she stated, albeit with a little more confidence than she truly felt. "He has to be okay."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

Black.

The world was painted in a thick, gooey coat of it. The sky was an endless void, and the walls extended every which way into the darkness. There wasn't any sound either, not even the breathing of the individual witnessing the preposterous nothingness.

Kid turned to his left, narrowing his eyes in bewilderment at the world where he floated. He couldn't feel the ground beneath his feet, and when he reached out, his eyes failed to glimpse his hand or fingers. It was as though he'd gone blind, a concept that incited a brief panic before something flickered in the distance. It was a pinprick of light, a single flame that grew, obliterating the suffocating darkness and enveloping Kid in a comforting warmth.

He opened his eyes.

The shinigami blinked against the sunlight and raised his arms to cover his face, groaning in irritation. He enjoyed the sun's pristine schedule, the way it would sneak through his curtains and wake him, but he didn't much approve this morning.

The shinigami pulled himself onto one elbow, accidentally disturbing a few textbooks lying open next to his pillow. He frowned at them before remembering his studies from the previous night.

 _I can't believe I fell asleep reading them._ Kid thought, almost shaking his head in disbelief before slipping out of bed. His feet hit the soft carpet and he made his way over to the dresser of black mahogany for his regular attire. After fastening each button on his pristine, white shirt and picking a stray thread from his pants, he turned to depart from his room.

Kid almost took a step back in alarm at the unannounced figure standing in the hallway before remembering the door to his room was still closed. The child reaper staring back at him was only his reflection in the mirror that had been hung on the wooden slab. Kid released a nervous laugh, crossing short arms over his chest and regarding the mirrored image with a considerate gaze. Something seemed off, yet the young child couldn't fathom what.

Kid squinted and took a few steps closer, inspecting the short individual glaring back. His eyes were the same as ever: gold and serious, positioned symmetrically on a round face with black hair combed to perfect—

The shinigami smiled victoriously upon realizing the flaw in his appearance. He hadn't yet tended to his hair, and there was a rogue strand escaping the orderly ranks.

Sighing in exasperation, Kid went to retrieve the brush his father had given him a few months back after the young reaper had thrown a fit about the cursed lines in his hair. How childish he was, forgetting a chore as simple as perfecting his hair.

After returning to the mirror and setting to work on the rebellious section of his bangs, Kid couldn't help but succumb to a brief smirk.

Well, he supposed he was still a child.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: Confused? Ah, but that's the fun part of this journey..._

 _This story is an old idea that has been started three times. I'd just begun thinking about it again and suddenly came up with a large piece of story that could be added to the original, smaller idea. As of right now, I am very excited to continue this and see where it leads, and I hope you all are, too. Please review and pay me a visit when chapter two comes around and you will have a few answers to some questions. Thank you._


	2. Whispered Rumors

_A/N:_ _Back again for more. Thank you so much, those of you who reviewed, favorited, and followed Demons in the Mirror. You guys, and anyone else who simply read chapter 1, are awesome.  
_ _Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater in any possible way._

 _Chapter 2: Whispered Rumors_

 _The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown._

 _~ HP Lovecraft_

Before Soul Evans could duck, the bridge of his nose became the final resting point for the paper airplane diving through the air. The scythe took a step back, raising his arms to bat aside the flying projectile before scowling into Class Crescent Moon. Just about every student was deep in conversation with their friends, oblivious to his glare of disapproval, but there was one in the top row snickering like the idiot he was.

Soul deliberately crushed the paper plane beneath his foot as he trudged to his seat, ignoring Black Star's cries of victory and sitting next to Maka. The paper assault was another thing he could add to that morning's tedious misfortunes. He'd awoken to find himself in a truly uncomfortable position thanks to Blair before Maka had caught the teasing feline but delivered a swift kick to her weapon partner, not caring that he was the victim. After that, he'd discovered an empty shampoo bottle while showering, cursing himself for not going to the store sooner. In a haste to get ready, he'd burned breakfast (providing Maka with another chance to scold him), forgotten a textbook after leaving the apartment, and had scraped his knee tripping up the Academy's stairs. Black Star's idea of a joke did little to brighten his mood, and the scythe was _daring_ fate to throw him another dose of bad luck.

"What a crappy morning," Soul growled, leaning back and pulling his feet onto the desk. Hold on, was that a spot of gum plastered to the side of his shoe?

"Stop groaning," Maka chided, turning another page in her book and not sparing a glance for her partner. "Just remember to head to the store after school and buy some shampoo. Also, we're going to need more milk since the last of it went into the burnt pancakes this morning."

Soul ceased in scraping at the wad of gum with a pencil, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at the scythe meister. That wouldn't be cool, but he couldn't help feeling smug while entertaining the idea in his head.

"Alright, everyone, let's get this class underway."

All the students broke off their conversations and returned to their seats as Sid Barret entered the classroom, placing a clipboard on the front desk and facing them.

"Professor Stein is busy this morning, so I'll be your substitute. According to his schedule, you should all be starting your dissection lab today, is that right?" the zombie inquired, crossing his arms as a few shaking heads indicated 'no' while the more truthful, yet nonetheless disgusted, answered 'yeah.'

"Last week it was pigeons, this week it's salamanders," Black Star muttered from where he was lounging in the top row of desks, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "What's next? Big Foot?"

"Black Star, I don't think Professor Stein would make us do something that extreme," Tsubaki argued in her usual, gentle tone. "After all, he let us end the pigeon lab early last week, remember?"

"Only because Patty managed to roast a few corpses with a bunsen burner!" Black Star retorted in indignation. "The entire classroom smelled like that one fast food joint on sixth street!"

Soul grimaced, trying not to let his mind unearth the memory he'd been trying to bury. He could still remember how quickly the gray feathers of each bird had exploded into flames, roasting away like a Thanksgiving turkey. A Thanksgiving turkey from Hell.

"Speaking of," Maka interrupted before Soul's recollection could grow any more vivid. "Haven't Kid, Liz, and Patty shown up yet? They're usually here so early."

"Kid probably found a speck of lint on one sleeve and not the other, causing an emotional meltdown," Black Star offered, waving a hand in dismissal. "Once Liz and Patty are done tucking the unstable reaper into bed, they'll waltz in here and Patty can start making Toasted Salamander."

"Black Star," Tsubaki began, raising a hand to her mouth as a majority of the color drained from her face. "I'm sure they'll be here soon enough, and Patty won't roast the salamanders."

"You're right." Black Star nodded with an odd look of consideration. "She has bigger goals now. This week: The school."

Tsubaki, Soul, and Maka all rolled their eyes or let out exasperated sighs, but none decided to continue the conversation. Instead, they began flipping through their textbooks while a few students passed out the thick, plastic bags containing their specimens. The nauseating odor of formaldehyde rose from the bag set before Soul and he turned away in disgust.

"Have you guys heard anything about Kid?" a voice piped up from the seat below their own. Both Maka and Soul looked down at Jacqueline O'Lantern Durpré who regarded the two with curious eyes.

"No, we haven't talked to him or Liz and Patty since yesterday," Maka responded in bewilderment, sharing a brief look with Soul. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

Jackie raised her nose in disdain as a bag of dead salamander was situated before her and twisted in her seat to better address the scythe and meister as well as avoid the noxious scent.

"I'm not sure, but Kim heard something from Kent D. Corbin who was visiting Lord Death this morning after his mission in Cairo." Jackie cast a quick look at Sid whose attention was elsewhere and continued in a low voice, "Well, while walking through the guillotine hallway, he heard Lord Death talking to someone through the mirror. Naturally, Kent assumed he was talking to another student or something, but when he got closer, he could see Stein there, too."

"That's not too strange," Maka responded thoughtfully. "Even Soul and myself have discussed missions with Stein through Lord Death's mirror. Sometimes the Professor and Lord Death eat lunch and talk about the students or particular classes. I'm sure after the ordeal with Asura, they both have plenty to talk about."

"No, it wasn't that," Jackie stated with a shake of her head. By now, both Black Star and Tsubaki had leaned forward to catch most of Jackie's words as the weapon finished her story. "The person in the mirror was Liz, and she said there was something wrong with Kid. Kent only caught half of the conversation, but he heard Lord Death say something about getting help to Gallows Manor pretty quickly."

"Help?" Maka echoed, eyes widening in alarm. "Is Kid okay? If Lord Death is sending help, then—"

"Hey, you four!" Sid barked, startling the students. "Enough chatting and more dissecting!"

Jackie broke away from her audience with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but that's all Kim told me, and there's no telling whether Kent's story is even true," she added before turning around. "Although, it's not like he has any reason to lie."

Maka's lips twisted into a puzzled frown as she processed the information, watching Soul twist in his seat to look back at Tsubaki and the surrounding desks.

"I wonder what's wrong," Tsubaki murmured. "Liz wouldn't call Lord Death directly if it was something as simple as one of Kid's OCD fits, right?"

"That's true, and I don't think they would ask for Stein to get involved either," Maka added as apprehension began gnawing her insides. She was beginning to feel like one of the mangled salamanders being handled by her classmates. "If what Kent said is true, I guess we know why Sid is acting as Stein's substitute."

"Yeah," Soul mumbled distractedly, "but did no one notice we're one man less? When Sid said 'you four', he hadn't lost his ability to count."

Tsubaki gave a mild squeak of alarm, head whipping from side to side as they all realized the room was lacking a certain, blue-haired loudmouth. It only took Soul's exasperated sigh and pointed finger for them to notice one of the windows in the top row was swinging wide open.

Unfortunately for the three students, they weren't able to escape class as easily as Black Star. Instead, after revealing their concerns to Sid, the zombie pulled them into the hall where he proceeded to ask about how they'd come across the information. At first, Maka was hesitant and unwilling to toss their friends so easily under the bus. However, after Sid made it perfectly clear the three wouldn't so much as set one foot outside if he didn't get answers, Maka caved and relayed their previous conversation with Jackie. Their teacher silently waited for Maka to finish before admitting what they'd heard was true. He was soon to add the three weren't allowed to visit their friend, not without knowing what kind of situation was on their hands.

"The last thing Stein and Lord Death need are concerned students and wild rumors," Sid stated firmly. "I know Kid is your friend and you want to make sure he's all right, I understand, but I can't let you go to Gallows Manor. I apologize, but I don't think you will be much help to anyone there. Allow Professor Stein and Death to handle the situation, okay?"

"Professor, we can't stand by and do nothing," Maka protested, shaking her head in disbelief. "What if there is something we can do, but if we stay here—"

"What the situation needs is for everyone to remain calm and not fret over Kid's condition," Sid interrupted, crossing his arms and releasing a long sigh. "Have a little faith that everything will work out and stand clear of those who are able to provide assistance."

Maka and Tsubaki glanced at one another, unable to conjure any further arguments. They knew the zombie had a point, that there probably wasn't much they could do. Still, even _seeing_ their friend would be better than imagining everything in Gallows Manor. If they could go just to provide support for Liz and Patty, that would be fine, too.

"Hey, Sid," Soul stepped forward, hands buried within his pockets. "Since we can't see Kid, could you maybe let us leave so we can fetch Black Star?"

Although his face was missing some features, Sid's expression was still able to perfectly convey thorough exasperation as Soul's words registered.

"I guess I don't have to ask where he disappeared to?" The blue-skinned man scratched the back of his head with a helpless sigh. "Well, I suppose we can't have that loudmouth running around, can we? I was never the kind of man to let students skip class."

Seeing the eager looks of the three before him, Sid raised his hands in defeat. "Go track down that idiot and bring him back here. Should you find yourselves in Gallows Manor during your search, don't get in anyone's way, understand?"

"Yes, sir," Maka promised and the three bowed in thanks. "We appreciate it."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

Soul followed Maka and Tsubaki up the walkway to Gallows Manor, eyeing the structure looming over them with its almost threatening aura. He supposed if it wasn't for their friendship with Lord Death and his son, the home would be somewhat intimidating. A powerful shinigami, his offspring, and two notorious thugs from the streets of Brooklyn? Yeah, that was a house Soul definitely would have avoided, but luckily, this wasn't the case.

"Do you think Black Star is already inside?" Tsubaki inquired once they were standing before the entrance. "I wonder if he even knocked..."

"Knowing him, I doubt he even went in through a door," Maka responded, quickly rapping her knuckles on the wooden panel. Her knocking was met with silence, and the three shifted back and forth as their anxiety grew. After a moment, Maka tried again while her weapon partner resisted the urge to roll his eyes and leaned over to press the doorbell.

The wait seemed to last an agonizingly long time, but when the door finally opened, the friends were greeted by the shocked face of Liz. The older sister opened her mouth, uttering a few surprised noises before stepping back and motioning for them to come inside.

"What are you—I mean, you decided to visit?" she inquired, closing the door behind Soul and turning to face them. "Who told you? Lord Death?"

"No, we were actually advised not to show up," Maka responded sheepishly. "A few people are talking about it at school because Kent D. Corbin heard your conversation with Lord Death. No one knows any details, but they're still making up rumors all the same."

"Yeah, so what exactly is going on?" Soul asked, peering up the long staircase towards the second floor as Liz lead them into the living room. "We all agreed it couldn't be anything symmetry-related."

"Not exactly," Liz responded in a soft voice.

"Is it okay if we go see him?" Tsubaki murmured, earning a nod of agreement from both Maka and Soul. To their surprise, Liz shook her head, about to explain when the dining room door opened and Patty stepped into the room. She didn't notice the guests at first, her gaze downcast before counting the extra pairs of feet.

"Hi, Patty," Maka greeted with a comforting smile.

The young demon weapon returned the gesture, but it was a strained effort. The girl looked nothing like her usual, fanatic self, creating even more unease for the souls just arriving. If they'd lost the optimism of Patricia Thompson, the state of their friend had to be dire. The fact both girls were downstairs and not at their meister's side provided even more proof to back the assumption.

"Why can't we see him?" Maka demanded, though not with impatience. "Exactly what is going on that you two are down here and not with Kid? Stein and Lord Death are here, right?"

Soul placed a gentle hand on his meister's shoulder, diverting her attention and bringing an end to her questions. He gave her a look, the one he normally gave her when she got too moody with some lazy street vendor about an unfair price. Luckily the scythe meister understood and turned back to Liz.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, bowing her head in embarrassment. "I'm sure you're both more worried than ourselves."

"It's fine," Liz murmured, taking a seat on one of the couches situated around the bare fireplace. "I'm sorry you all had to hear fragments of the actual situation. Since there isn't much we can do, you want to sit so we can explain what we can?"

Soul and Maka obliged, taking the seat across from Liz while Tsubaki took the plump chair closest to the hearth. Patty didn't sit, despite her sister's gentle encouragement, choosing instead to pace behind the couches, lost in her own thoughts.

After one last worried look at her sister, Liz folded together her trembling hands and began to speak.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: Chapter 2, everybody. Perhaps that didn't answer any questions, but we'll get there._

 _Kent D. Corbin was just a quick character I tossed in because I didn't feel like using an actual character from the series. His first name 'Kent' is from another work by HP Lovecraft entitled Hypnos which involves a man living in Kent, England who fears sleep._ _The second part of his name was taken from bec de corbin. This is an ancient weapon once popular in Europe._

 _Thank you, one and all, for finishing another chapter of Demons in this Mirror. Let me know what you think and prepare for chapter 3. It should be up around next Tuesday or Wednesday. Until then, bon soir. ^^_


	3. Nightmare to Daydream

_A/N: Sorry for the wait, but I now present chapter 3 of Demons in this Mirror. Thank you so much, those of you who have favorited and are following the story and to everyone who has left their reviews. You're all insanely awesome.  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except for that quote right down there. I ran out of ideas and had to steal one from my own story._

 _Chapter 3: Nightmare to Daydream_

 _It's amazing when you consider how easily order can be thrown into disarray, tranquility to panic, and peace into calamity._

 _~ Complex Simplicity_

Damn, his feet were starting to hurt. This had been a stupid idea.

Black Star shifted uncomfortably, careful not to let himself slide off the edge of the roof where he'd been hiding for the past ten minutes. He was positioned beneath one of the upstairs windows, one that happened to be set into the area of the roof with the cursed downward slant. It was at that moment the assassin deemed Gallows Manor and architectural monstrosity, but he didn't say this aloud. He was already trying his best not to breath.

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure if we can offer him much assistance," came the muffled voice from within the room above Black Star's head. Although faint, Black Star was sure it belonged to Stein.

 _I guess they decided to call in the patchwork professor after all._ Black Star thought, wincing from a cramp working its way into his ankle. Stein's words brought a wave of unease to Black Star's stomach, but the assassin ignored it. When he'd arrived at Gallows Manor and climbed the roof, his original plan was to burst through Kid's window and harass the shinigami until he drove away whatever illness he had. After all, he'd done the same to Soul in the infirmary after the scythe's run in with the Demon Sword. He'd pried Soul's eyes open and had shaken him from side to side, and that had definitely hastened his friend's recovery, Black Star was sure of it.

"With all due respect, Professor Stein."

Black Star stiffened, resisting the temptation of craning his neck to peer through the window. The voice that had spoken up, unfamiliar and frigid, was the reason he hadn't broken in. He'd been creeping towards the window, preparing to build momentum to barge in when that icy voice had grabbed his attention. Even through the glass, he could feel the eerie calm the stranger emanated, so he'd nestled himself below the windowsill to eavesdrop instead.

"I am hesitant to believe there are no actions we can take," the stranger continued. "This problem wouldn't be as dire had someone else been cursed with such misfortune. As it stands, we are dealing with the child of a god. Should anything happen to the child reaper, we—"

"Kid."

Black Star let out a slow breath and uncurled his fingers, not realizing they'd been digging painfully into his gloved palms.

"Pardon?" the stranger murmured, sounding taken aback by Stein's interruption.

"His name is Kid," Professor Stein repeated, and Black Star could hear the edge in his tone. He could only imagine the look on the professor's face, but there wasn't a chance he was about to blow his cover to sneak a glimpse. Upon arriving, he'd already missed the juicy bits of the conversation, so he had to make do with the leftovers. He still didn't know what Stein was doing there, or what was wrong with Kid. Worst of all, he didn't have a face to go along with the cold soul talking with Stein.

"My apologies," came the chilling reply, but it was clipped, as though the thought of Kid's name was irrelevant. "Lord Death, I cannot fulfill my duties if I have no choice but to wait for progress. The condition of this child—Kid—is not like one we've ever witnessed. Surely there is something that can be done?"

"Professor Stein has made his observations," someone explained, and Black Star almost jumped in alarm when he realized it was Lord Death. The shinigami had lost all of his jovial optimism and now spoke in a lower tone, one that cut in and out of the glass window and made Black Star strain to hear it.

"I understand the concern both of you hold, but we've only addressed the surface of the problem," Lord Death continued. "We've confirmed my son is unresponsive, that he is currently in a state of comatose, but his vitals remain stable. This is correct, Stein?"

The professor didn't answer, so Black Star could only hope it had been too silent for his ears or the older man had nodded in reply. Death's next statement was lost to the assassin as a brief wind kicked up around him, raising agonized groans from the thick trees surrounding the manor.

Black Star clicked his tongue in annoyance and straightened his curled legs, edging closer to the window. To his dismay, he accidentally misjudged the distance between his head and the outer window sill. The sound of his skull connecting with the wood exploded like a gunshot, and he ground his teeth together to keep from swearing in both pain and aggravation.

The window above his head whipped open faster than he thought possible, and Black Star released an enraged cry as an arm lashed out at him. An iron grip fastened itself around his neck, cutting off his airway in a single motion as he was hauled into Kid's room. Once inside, his captor didn't loosen their suffocating grasp, and Black Star scraped pathetically at the bony fingers. The assassin's feet hadn't even touched the floor, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't deliver a swift and righteous kick to his assailant.

"Ikelos!"

Black Star was only faintly aware of the voice that erupted through the darkness creeping around his vision. The assassin sealed his eyes shut, as though it would make gasping for air easier and listened to the blood drumming in his ears. Someone was shouting, giving vicious commands to the person whose fingers he dangled from.

Black Star's legs folded like tissue paper when he suddenly found himself descending to the hard floor. He sucked in as much oxygen he could muster, coughing at the sudden rush and feeling droplets of saliva ooze down his bottom lip. The assassin impatiently wiped his mouth, face growing warm at the thought of how pitiful he looked. He could still hear someone yelling, but now he recognized Stein's reprimanding tone and wearily raised his head.

Kid's room hadn't changed from the brief times he'd seen it, although there were definitely more people. Stein was in the center of the room, keeping an eye on the wheezing assassin while scolding a figure near the foot of Kid's bed. Behind the professor was a large mirror with Lord Death peering out from the glass surface. He didn't say anything to the assassin, nor interject as Stein continued his angry remarks.

Raising his head further, Black Star would have released a startled gasp if he could spare the breath to do so.

The figure beside him, whose deadly grip had finally released him, was shrouded in a heavy coat of obsidian. It covered just about every inch of the looming individual except for the man's hands and head. He didn't look at Black Star, but the assassin was almost positive he didn't want to see the man's entire face. From what he could glimpse above the high collar, the left portion of the man's head was layered in ragged skin. There were angry, maroon scars stretching over a hollow dent where the man's ear used to be, reaching across his partially bald head. Only a bare sliver of his dark hairline could be seen, but aside from that, other features were hidden. There was no telling what the rest of his face looked like.

Black Star swallowed a rush of nausea, willing himself not to add to his sorry state by vomiting all across the carpet. Instead of focusing on the torn face of his attacker, the assassin steadily rose to his feet, nodding once at Stein but unable to speak just yet.

"To be able to recover so quickly after an attack from Ikelos is commendable," commented the smooth voice from earlier, and Black Star turned in surprise, just noticing another man standing near the closed door. This time, Black Star was able to produce a small exclamation of shock. Unlike the horrifying spectacle to his left, the stranger near the door was like flipping a card from nightmare to daydream. Although Black Star felt weird when the term 'angel' entered his mind, he couldn't find a suitable replacement. The man wore a dark cloak just like his scarred partner, but his features were pristine and almost emanated a warm glow.

The stranger smiled in feigned pleasantness, revealing two rows of flawless teeth. His hair almost reminded Black Star of the samurai Mifune but longer and with a texture resembling threads of silk. It was tied in a neat, golden ponytail that drifted down one shoulder, blinding against his outfit of black.

"Black Star, I would apologize for this man's actions, but I cannot say they were entirely unnecessary."

Black Star snapped out of the embarrassing trance he found himself in and turned to Stein with wide, uncomfortable eyes. _Hell, he's talking to me now._

The irate professor crossed his arms, glaring pointedly at the assassin. "Yes, Ikelos acted a bit too violently, but he's trained to eliminate all threats with a swiftness you can't even dream of mastering yet. So, you can only imagine why such a vigilant fighter would go to such extremes when he hears suspicious activity _outside the window_."

Black Star winced at the sour note that clung to the silence before he gathered his thoughts, responding, "I heard something happened to Kid and wanted to see what was going on, okay? Some people were talking about it at school, so I didn't think there was any use getting a lame story when I could get the real scoop from him."

"The real scoop?" the man near the door echoed while partial amusement crept into startling, green eyes. "What story do you suppose this child will relay?"

Black Star scowled before turning to where the bewildered man was gesturing with a pale hand. He hadn't seen him right away due to the ragged stranger blocking his view, but Kid was also in the room. Lying on his bed, eyes closed and looking every part of the word 'serene', the shinigami slept without any acknowledgement of the company surrounding him.

"Kid, you just going to lie there all day?" Black Star demanded, but even he knew such a childish accusation was pointless. He'd heard Lord Death use the word 'comatose', and he didn't have to be a bookworm like Maka to know what that meant.

"Black Star, it was our intent to keep this situation quiet," Lord Death spoke calmly, earning the attention of everyone in the room. "I know you are probably worried about Kid, but know that the situation is better off without interruptions. The men before you know what they're doing, so I respectfully ask that you—"

"You know what you're doing?" Black Star didn't mean to spit the words with complete disrespect, but he couldn't deliver them another way. "I may not know the details or who these two jokers are or why Kid's in a coma, but I sure as hell know you're as confused in some areas as me!"

Lord Death looked taken aback by the outburst, and Black Star felt a small flicker of victory for altering the shinigami's dreary appearance. Before anyone could interject, the assassin continued.

"I heard Stein say there wasn't much you guys could do for him." Black Star looked back and forth between the man named Ikelos and the beautiful soul by the door. "Sure, maybe you two are specialized in treating dreamtime dangers, but you don't sound too educated on this thing, either. I'm not leaving this room until I know exactly what's happening, and I'll fight your little guard dog here should he attempt to throw me out!"

That sparked a reaction from Ikelos who rotated to fully face Black Star. The assassin had been expecting a gruesome image, so he was able to hold his ground without gasping. However, he wasn't able to keep his expression steady and his eyes widened in shock.

Ikelos's face had only been shredded on the left side, a display Black Star was sure would have left Kid in a spasming mess if he'd seen it. The left part of the man's nose had been stripped away, revealing a thin portion of his nasal cavity. Above that, the hollow socket where an eye should have been was empty, revealing only darkened flesh retreating deeper into his skull. What little that remained of the man's hair was black and cut close to his head, and Ikelos's single good eye bore into Black Star with an unsettling deadness. The assassin could almost see his reflection in the icy blue that gazed back.

Black Star remained still, as if the man was x-raying his entire existence with one haunting eye. The man had no expression, and even his mouth did little to reveal anything. His lips were stripped away from his left side and embedded deep into the tatters of his cheek, above his temple, and alongside his bare head, were shards of metal. They were thin, occasionally reflecting sunlight from where they broke through the skin, but Black Star saw them nonetheless.

"Professor Stein?"

There came a knock on the door, and this time, Black Star did jump from the sudden noise. He turned towards the sound, recognizing Maka's voice and breathed a sigh of relief. If Maka was there, there wasn't a chance of them walking away without obtaining answers.

"Professor Stein, may we come in? We heard shouting, and Tsubaki is pretty sure she heard Black Star. Is he in there?" Maka inquired, rapping on the wooden surface a few more times. "Please, Professor, we want to know what is going on."

From where he stood in the mirror, Lord Death bowed his head while the holes in his mask narrowed in a look akin to empathy. He nodded to Stein who only shrugged in resignation, stepping over to the door.

"Lord Death," the man standing guard raised a hand, blocking Stein from approaching. "Lord Death, I do not believe this is a wise decision. Allowing outsiders to—"

"Endymion, allow Professor Stein to pass," Lord Death interrupted, his gentle gaze remaining while his tone served a brief warning. "I'll deal with it."

After sending a reluctant glance to Ikelos, the blonde man stepped aside, doing poorly to mask his disapproval as Stein opened the door.

Maka was the first to enter the room, catching the assassin's eye before focusing on Ikelos. Black Star could see shock blossom across the meister's face, but she didn't speak. Following behind her were Liz and Patty. Soul and Tsubaki were last, and Black Star had to force a nervous grin when Tsubaki spotted him with a look of dismay.

"It's true," Maka spoke, and Black Star watched her forlorn stare take in the unconscious grim reaper on the bed. "What happened to him? Will he be all right?"

"One question at a time, Maka," Stein answered, silencing the nervous teenager. He turned to Lord Death with a raised eyebrow, and after a moment of consideration, the shinigami began.

"My my, there were quite a few of you, weren't there?" he hummed from his mirror as he counted the extra souls in the room. "First, I apologize to all of you. You were all kept in the dark, especially Liz and Patty. However, you know we would have never done such an awful thing if not for a good reason."

"It'd better be," Black Star growled under his breath, flinching when Ikelos' good eye fixated on him with a stern look.

"Originally, I would have liked to keep this entire matter all hush hush," Death continued with a somewhat exasperated sigh. "I should have known better than to believe you six would take this without fuss, so I will tell you everything."

"Lord Death." Again, Endymion took a step towards the mirror, shaking his head in disbelief. "I must oppose. These souls are mere children and should not concern themselves. I fear they may—"

"Murder my son in his sleep?" Death finished, tilting to one side while the eyeholes of his mask narrowed, driving a harsh glare into the man. "Endymion, I appreciate your services, but do not question the bonds these students have with my son. I understand how bewildering the concept must be, but every individual here is a dear friend to both Kid and myself. I advise you adjust your beliefs accordingly to better deal with the situation. If you do not, I will not be needing your services."

Endymion avoided looking at the deity and gave only a curt nod in reply. The rest of the room was silent, as though waiting for Lord Death to smite the man where he stood, but nothing happened. When Lord Death spoke again, his voice had gained only a fraction of its usual warmth, but it stripped away some of the tension hanging in the air.

"If any of you want to sit or make yourselves comfortable, you are free to do so," the death god explained, motioning through the mirror with his large, comical hands. "I know you all have questions, so I'll do my best to answer each one."

Black Star took a seat at the window while Soul leaned against the nearby dresser. Tsubaki offered the chair near Kid's desk to Liz, but the older weapon declined, instead positioning herself next to her meister's bed. Everyone else remained standing, waiting for Lord Death to begin his tale.

"To be completely honest," the headmaster spoke, "this once happened before when Kid was younger. You see, he's in a state of deep unconscious because he has retreated far into his own soul. No, that's not entirely accurate..."

A memory returned to Black Star, the one of the battle with Tsubaki's brother. He remembered when his partner had disappeared into the Demon Blade, how she'd screamed as her soul was consumed by its sinister presence. He'd waited for her, patiently at first, before it seemed as though she'd been defeated.

Black Star turned to the motionless reaper, swallowing an uncomfortably shard working its way into his throat. When it'd been Tsubaki, he'd never told anyone how helpless he'd felt. His best friend had been battling a demon, locked in an internal struggle leaving him with no hope of intervening. He'd been able to grin afterwards, comforting his partner while she clung to him and sobbed. He hadn't dared hug her back, unwilling to let her feel him trembling. He'd only patted her head with a thankfully steady arm.

 _This won't be the same way, will it?_ Black Star wondered, returning his attention to Lord Death. W _hy has he retreated into his soul, Lord Death? What's so interesting that he's disappeared completely?_

"It wasn't by choice," Death continued. "Kid didn't retreat but rather he was captured by a darker entity within himself."

Black Star felt irony's cruel embrace hold him steady while karma delivered a hefty kick to his gut.

 _Damn it._

"'A darker entity'?" Maka repeated, voice thick with apprehension. "Does it have something to do with the revival of The Kishin?"

"Partially, yes," Death admitted. "On the night of Asura's revival, do you all remember the madness you felt? Some of you may have experienced more than others, but I'm sure you all sensed his presence, yes?"

Black Star grimaced, remembering the brief illusion that had been thrown at him. He'd seen himself destroying the syringe filled with black blood meant for The Kishin, but at the last moment, he'd left himself completely defenseless. He hadn't even noticed the monster's trickery.

"Everyone has a darker side to their soul, though the amount differs depending on the person," Death continued, rotating slowly to address each of the students and adults in the room. "Asura's madness can latch onto that darkness and draw it out, obliterating all rational thought and leaving one's soul completely helpless. His Madness can grant power, but the mind wielding it is unstable."

"Having Black Blood lets in the Madness, too, doesn't it?" Soul inquired from where he stood, considering the headmaster's words.

"Yes, that is true." Death inclined his head a fraction. "Madness affects people in different ways, depending on the amount of darkness that already resides within that person's soul. For those with pure souls, it's difficult for Madness to develop a strong hold. That is a gift. However, for a shinigami like Kid, things get tricky."

Black Star resisted the urge to snort, briefly wondering when things involving Kid weren't tricky. The OCD thing proved as much, but now it seemed he was a bigger handful than ever. Once they solved this entire problem, Black Star promised himself he was going to kick his friend's ass. That would teach him not to be such a nuisance, worrying the crap out of everyone.

"Shinigami have changed over the years." Death tapped a large index finger against the side of his mask, as though trying to conjure up the best explanation. "You've heard stories of how I was eight hundred years ago. I wasn't the most cheerful soul you would ever meet, so I changed my ways when I founded the Academy. That sinister side of me wasn't erased, but I keep it buried deep within my conscious. All shinigami have this ominous side due to the old ways we would conduct ourselves. We carry souls into the afterlife, a job that must be done with a cold demeanor so as not to get attached."

"I've read about that," Maka interjected, nervously stepping forward to speak. "Although it's expected of shinigami to act without hearts, occasionally you can find who doesn't conform to tradition, right? You're an example, Lord Death, and so is Kid."

"Very true, Maka," Death said. "Although my son and I present smiles and pleasantness, that doesn't mean we are without our own darkness, an inner desire to be true shinigami. You may have seen mine during the fight with Kishin Asura when I had to crack my happy appearance for one better suited to the situation. For Kid, he is young and hasn't had much experience with his inner shinigami. Being raised in Death City and being with all of you has prevented that darkness from stirring, and you have my utmost thanks."

A few of them nodded, offering quick smiles, and Black Star crossed his arms with a look of suspicion. Death had mentioned Kid being captured by some creep resting deep in his soul, hadn't he? Was he implying that this inner shinigami dude was somehow holding Kid prisoner and had placed their friend in comatose?

The assassin blinked as all eyes turned to him, and he slowly closed his mouth, not realizing he'd spoken aloud.

"Black Star is correct," Death answered with a low sigh. "I believe Asura's revival and wavelength woke up Kid's inner shinigami, and now he can't escape it. He is currently trapped in a false reality that his mind has created, but I can't determine the full damage being done to him, if any."

"What's the plan, then?" Soul inquired, casting a quick glance to the sleeping grim reaper. "How are we supposed to wake him up?"

"That's what I had been trying to figure out." Stein was the one to answer, breaking his silence and startling a few of the students. "Clearly, Kid can't perceive anything around him. This particular battle is being fought inside his head, and that leaves us with very little options."

"What are the options?" Liz demanded.

Stein frowned at the demon pistol and closed his eyes, appearing at a loss. It took a few moments before he finally answered the inquiry in a tone of defeat. "Waiting, I'm afraid. The only thing we are able to do is wait."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: Stein, that's not what they want to hear... Anyway, chapter four is on its way, so I hope you'll stick with me and my cliffhangers until then. As for Ikelos and Endymion, both will be explained very soon, too. Some of you may be familiar with the names themselves, both being from Greek mythology. Ikelos, usually called Phobetor, is the god of nightmares. Endymion was a beautiful, young man who was put into an eternal slumber. There are multiple stories explaining why, some saying he chose the fate himself while others tell how Zeus inflicted eternal sleep on him as punishment.  
_ _Both are names I chose after doing a little research, however, neither of them in this story are the actual God or man from mythology._

 _A special thank you to AutumnMobile12 who continues to proofread my chapters and leave the occasional, sarcastic comment. That is all for chapter three. Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you'll come again for the next chapter._


	4. Wait and See

_A/N: It's been a little bit, but here is chapter 4. I was partially stuck, mostly busy, hence why it took some time. Thank you for your patience!  
_ _Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater._

 _Chapter 4: Wait and See_

 _'The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance...'_

 _~ Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist_

An uncomfortable nagging was interfering with Kid's ability to focus on his textbook. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his mind to wrap around the words, and the young reaper was left gritting his teeth in annoyance. He couldn't determine what, but he knew something was wrong. Something was off in Gallows Manor, and until the problem was remedied, studying would prove to be extremely tedious.

Kid marked his place in _The History of Souls and Their Wavelengths_ and closed the book with a long sigh. He raised his head to the empty manor around him, going through a mental list of what could be bothering him. The candles were all lit, and he'd taken care of the few dishes he'd dirtied while getting tea for himself. He'd made his bed that morning, combed his hair to perfection, and had talked to his father earlier when he'd needed help with a specific concept from his book. The conversation had gone well, and Death had told him he'd be home later in the evening, so why was Kid uneasy?

After peering around dining room, the reaper decided the problem originated elsewhere in Gallows Manor. If he did a little investigating, he'd probably find it in no time.

Kid passed through the double doors leading into the living room and focused a keen eye on everything in sight. The furniture was arranged without flaw and the wax on every candle oozed symmetrically. Even the carpet was acceptable, so the reaper continued, occasionally stopping to confirm a painting wasn't hanging crookedly.

He inspected the main floor without discovering any disruption in his home's order, so he ascended up the main staircase and into the long corridor lined with mirrors and portraits. It took mere seconds to spot the source of his uncomfortable feeling, and Kid clapped his hands together in triumph. One of the mirrors towards the end of the hall was lopsided, throwing off the balance of the entire area.

With a snort of disapproval, Kid marched up to the long mirror and began tugging at its sides so it would hang properly on the long chain strung over a single nail in the wall. It was taller than himself, and his whole reflection swayed as he repositioned it. It was enough to make him dizzy, but he soon steadied the frame against the wall and withdrew, speculating his work before smiling with content.

Perhaps he would have been left alone had he simply walked away. If he hadn't seen that odd curl near his left ear and been urged to fix it, would he have noticed? Would he have caught the other irregularity, the one movement in the mirror not caused by him?

As Kid raised his hand to the odd tuft of hair, something shifted in the upper, right corner of the mirror. It was just a faint flicker of black, but the young reaper noticed and went completely still. He only had to wait a few seconds before the touch of black returned, spilling into the reflection with a smokey consistency.

Kid withdrew a step and turned to look behind him, but there wasn't a dark mist of any kind wafting through the hallway behind him. It was completely empty, yet when he returned his eyes to his reflection, the darkness continued to flood the mirror. Thin tendrils began to wrap around the arms of the young reaper's image in the glass, but Kid didn't feel anything. Even as he waved his arms about as an attempt to cast aside the smoke, it continued to gather into a single dark mass that slowly began shifting into a solid form.

It was odd. He'd seen people contact his father through the mirror on numerous occasions, but the connection had never been like this. Usually, the surface wavered, almost like a ripple in a lake before a bright light shone through, slowly dissolving to reveal the caller. He'd never seen a cloud of smoke except for the time when Alexandre had called during a hectic skirmish near Ethiopia, but that wasn't the same smoke he was seeing now.

The shinigami stopped struggling and watched, transfixed, as the cloud of ink began to take the shape of a tall, lean figure. Legs began to form, stretching farther than Kid's, and a torso followed. Two arms reached for the floor with near skeletal fingers on either hand. The sight almost made Kid's skin crawl, but he couldn't look away from the anomaly before him. He could only stare in fascination as the bony fingers curled in and out, as if the individual was using them for the first time. Then, they went still as the figure froze completely, and Kid raised his eyes to the face of the new reflection.

The young reaper took a step back. The figure didn't move. He only blinked once, and Kid felt his soul freeze and drop somewhere into his feet. The older man's eyes were a chilling gold, and the bitterness residing in the blank orbs made Kid nauseous.

The young child gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to shiver from his opponent's icy glare. The stranger's skin was like pale bone and his hair was stained black. Like Kid's, his sharp bangs fell over his eyes, jutting out at harsh angles away from his ears and down his neck. And in the center of it all, wrapping around the top of his head like ghostly ribbons, were three, broad, white lines.

Kid could see it all now. The stranger's face may have been a little long and his hair looked a little more disordered with completed Lines of Sanzu, but Kid had no doubts he was staring at himself.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

When Lord Death returned to Gallows Manor that evening, he found his son in the dining room with a pile of books and a cup of tea. The young reaper raised his head when his father walked in, and Death felt a flicker of concern when he saw the exhaustion in his son's eyes.

"Oh, Kiddo," Death sighed, bobbing over to his son's chair and placing a large hand over his head. "I always tell you not to work too hard, don't I? We work too hard now, we can't do our best later, right? Overworking yourself is a no no."

His son offered a brief, nervous smile before his gaze grew distant. He didn't appear to be following the words in his book, and Death tilted to one side, humming inquisitively.

"Kid, what's up?" he asked, patting his son's hair. "You look a little troubled? Did you find an asymmetrical disgrace within the manor?"

Kid shook his head and swallowed a few times, appearing at a loss for words. Finally, he turned to face Lord Death and spoke quietly, "I saw a man in the mirror."

Death waited momentarily for his son to say more, but he received no further explanation. After some consideration, he responded, "Well, that's a bit odd, isn't it? What did this man look like? There is a possibility one of my Death Scythes was trying to contact me and ended up getting a mirror in Gallows Manor, instead. That's happened a few times."

"I don't think it was a Death Scythe," Kid answered faintly. "I'm almost positive it wasn't."

His son's words startled the deity. Why did he deny the stranger being a Death Scythe with such certainty?

"I see," Death said, pulling out the chair next to Kid's and folding himself into it. "Did you recognize them at all, Kiddo?"

Kid opened his mouth but only a faint noise slipped out. The young reaper looked troubled by the question, and he tapped his fingers against the open textbook in front of him while he pondered the inquiry. Finally, he murmured, "He...He materialized out of a cloud of smoke. I had to look up to see his face because he was so tall and... Well, he looked like me but older."

Death went rigid, staring down at his son's uneasy features while his own concerns plagued his mind. He raised his masked face to the walls around them, searching for a mirror as if the stranger in question would be smirking back. He then remembered the dining room didn't have any and briefly wondered if that's why Kid was studying at the dining room table.

"Just like you?" Death repeated, turning back to Kid.

The young boy nodded, mouth forming a tight line. "His face was older, but he resembled me. His hair had the Lines of Sanzu, only they were connected all the way around his head. He was wearing a great, black cloak that concealed the rest of him, but I could see his hands. The skin was stretched over his finger bones, and his veins looked so dark against his white skin. It was terrifying, Father, but his eyes…"

Death felt a stab of dread when Kid faltered, gazing intently at his book with wide, unfocused eyes. He urged him to continue, despite having a vague notion on what he was about to hear. "What about his eyes, Kiddo?"

His son released a trembling breath. "They looked dead and soulless."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

Liz felt her soul drop as she ran Stein's words through her head. All they could do was wait? What a joke! Stein had been brought in to help along with the two strangers whose purpose she had yet to understand. Surely together the three of them could come up with something that would help Kid?

"We're going to sit on our asses and do nothing?" Black Star protested, sounding absolutely appalled. "Nu-uh! Not for this big man!"

Liz nodded once, thinking it strange to be agreeing with the obnoxious teen, but she couldn't have said it better herself.

"What would you suggest we do?" Stein responded in resignation. "This is Kid's battle, and it isn't likely that his inner shinigami will allow outside interference. Our hands are tied."

"So untie them," Black Star mumbled under his breath, glancing at his unconscious friend.

"Lord Death, you said this happened when Kid was younger, didn't you?" Maka inquired curiously. "How did you deal with everything back then?"

The shinigami bobbed within the mirror, considering the question. "That was a difficult time," he began, tapping his large fingers together. "Kid was always by himself in the manor. There were days he didn't want to go to the Academy with me, or I was too busy to have him spend the day in the Death Room. He was alone when his inner reaper appeared for the first time."

"Was he comatose then, too?" Liz asked, reaching out to her sister as Patty drew closer. She wrapped her fingers around her sister's, frowning sympathetically. The gesture didn't pull much of a reaction from the younger girl, but she did receive a gentle squeeze around her own hand.

"He wasn't comatose, no," Death answered, gazing at the two sisters. "The inner reaper chose to communicate with Kid through mirrors by materializing in the glass. In the beginning, he just stood there. When Kid first brought it up to me, I thought maybe it would be safe if the creature didn't do much. After awhile, it appeared that was all he would do but..." The headmaster trailed off, shaking his head. "My ultimate concern was how Kid described him. He talked about the reaper's cold eyes and how he seemed to be an older version of Kid. I began to wonder if his inner reaper was trying to reach out from his subconscious, but I could never understand why. Why did he choose that time to stir?"

Silence descended on the room, broken only by creaking outside the bedroom door as the entire manor shifted, as if groaning in response to the grim recollection. Lord Death didn't answer his own question, looking lost in thought and out of words.

"Lord Death." Liz's faint voice cut through the silence. "What does the inner shinigami want? Did he ever harm Kid when he was younger? Exactly what is he fighting for?"

Before the shinigami could answer, Endymion flinched near the closed door of the room, instantly raising his arms as if to defend himself. His reaction was too slow, and before he could stop it, the door flew open and a figure burst in on unsteady legs. The sudden movement startled everyone, and Endymion advanced on the wobbling intruder with an enraged countenance before Stein intervened.

"Endymion, hold on," the professor spoke, reaching out and taking the stranger by the arm. Without much pity for his sorry state, Stein hauled the man upright with a few dark comments.

"Papa?" Maka cried incredulously, blinking at the tipsy Death Scythe before them. "What are you—?"

The red-haired man's eyes darted blearily around the room before locating the scythe meister and Spirit's mouth stretched into a broad grin.

"My sweet Maka!" he sang, struggling against Stein's firm grip before casting a disheartened look at his old meister. "Stein, lemme go see my Maka. Why are you here?"

"Death Scythe."

Spirit froze, turning his flushed face to the death god reflected in the mirror on the far side of the room. The hollow eyes of the reaper's mask were narrowed into half moons, and Death's tone had once again descended into disapproval.

The Death Scythe pulled himself upright, straightening his shoulders and turning to address the headmaster with a slight bow. "My apologies, Lord Death. I was... I should have been in the Death Room when everything..." Spirit shook his head, trying to clear some of the alcohol impeding on his thought process.

"You have failed your duties again," Endymion declared from the corner of the room, lips pulled back in a disgusted sneer. "When Lord Death needed you against the fight with the Kishin, you were otherwise occupied and now, when his son is in danger, you are nowhere to be found. When you finally do arrive, you can barely stand on your own two feet."

Spirit glared at the younger man and swayed unsteadily as he made to approach him, but his gaze fell upon Kid's unresponsive form and his anger was forgotten. His eyes softened and he murmured something quietly to himself before turning to Death.

"I offer my sincerest apologies," he said, attempting another bow but stumbling ungracefully. "There aren't any excuses I can make. I would like to help, Lord Death, in whatever way I can. You know I will."

"Help?" Endymion scoffed. "What help can a drunk provide?"

Although she knew she would never admit it, Liz saw Maka's jaw go tight in response to the man's words. For a moment, the demon pistol wondered if the scythe meister would argue, but Death spoke up before Maka could say anything.

"Endymion, enough," the reaper sighed. "Spirit is still loyal, despite his tendencies to be absent when needed most. This is a problem, Death Scythe, one that needs immediate fixing. I let the matter with Asura slide because you were aiding Stein in the battle beneath the school. However, this occasion is different and you should have been present when Kid's condition first came to my attention."

"I know," Spirit responded quietly as he straightened. "I will remain by your side and provide any assistance that will help solve this problem."

Liz wasn't entirely sure how the tipsy Death Scythe could help, but she didn't say anything. She knew the older man had redeeming qualities and had battled the witch Medusa, but his habit of drinking at inopportune times left her dubious. Although, he had looked genuinely concerned when he'd seen her meister, so she couldn't be too skeptical. Perhaps he did have his own way of helping.

The demon pistol refrained from curling a lip back in disgust. _Yeah, he can help_ wait _for Kid to get better._

"How does the situation look right now?" Spirit inquired, glancing over Kid in consideration. "Is he comatose?"

"Yes." Death nodded. "To put it simply, Asura's madness awoke an entity living deep within himself, one that is trapping Kid in his subconscious and keeping outside forces from interfering. I believe his inner reaper is the cause, the one from his childhood."

Spirit's eyes widened, recognition passing through the light blue as he gritted his teeth. "Damn, not him again. I had hoped he'd been buried in Kid's mind after last time."

"Last time?" Maka piped up in bewilderment. "Papa, you were part of that?"

Spirit inclined his head as a few curious stares turned to him. "That's right," he answered quietly. "Although I was only a student at the time, I did everything I could to help Kid back then. When things worsened, I would stay by Kid's side throughout the day to ensure his safety."

"You did more than that, Spirit," Death corrected, his tone changing to one of gratitude. "Had you not been there a few times, there's no telling if Kid would even be alive today."

Liz felt Patty's fingers tighten around her own, and she turned to see a look of awe had captured her sister's face. The older sister returned her attention to the Death Scythe, probably wondering the same thing as everyone else.

 _This guy saved Kid's life?_ she thought, feeling momentarily guilty as doubt tainted her thoughts. _What the hell did he do? More importantly, what would the inner reaper have done to Kid if Maka's dad wasn't there?_

If Spirit was as effective as Lord Death was saying, could he be the answer to breaking Kid out of comatose? Liz felt a brief flicker of hope, but it was extinguished as she reconsidered the matter. Kid wasn't a child and this time wasn't like the last. This time, Kid was all alone and they had no way to help him. What could Spirit do if he was just as cornered as the rest of them?

Liz closed her eyes, trying to ignore the way her insides knotted together. _What is going on in Kid's soul right now? What is that bastard reaper doing to him while we sit here and wait?_

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: I actually got to use some pieces from the old story in this chapter, so that was fun. I had to doctor up most of them, but it's nice to recycle. Hope you're all enjoying it so far. The real games are about to begin. Let me know what you think, and I will be seeing you guys again in chapter five!_


	5. Grim Presence

_A/N: Another chapter done. I would like to thank everyone who has been reading, who has followed, reviewed, favorited, everything. I really appreciate it and I hope you continue to do so and enjoy every update. ^^ Thank you for your patience and enjoy!_

 _Chapter 5: Grim Presence_

 _Hito wo mitara oni to omoe._

 _When you see a person, regard him as a devil._

 _~Japanese Proverb_

It was all beginning to get on his nerves.

From the moment the blue-haired child was found out and opened his loud mouth, he was on edge. No, even before that, when he first received the information that the son of Lord Death was comatose and completely vulnerable to any external hazards.

Endymion's piercing gaze shifted from one face to the next, student to adult, conscious to unconscious. How many of them meant to do the little shinigami harm? How many secretly carried a blade or wished to suffocate the boy in his sleep? How many of them had malicious intent, to end the reign of Death because, somewhere in dark parts of their souls, they craved a life without an end?

The blue-haired boy had been bad enough, but then more children had entered the room. To make matters all the worse, Albarn had shown himself in on unsteady feet. He wanted to help the reaper child, did he? Pathetic.

Endymion closed his eyes and tried not to snarl audibly. If everyone truly wanted to help, they'd leave the vicinity and leave only those capable to do their jobs. Stein and the others may not have a planned course of action, but he and Ikelos always had their job to watch and protect the reaper child.

When he opened his eyes, the young man caught one of the reaper's partners staring at him. She had a round face that appeared as though it oftentimes held a cheery grin. Now, her bright blue eyes were clouded over, but her gaze was one of interest.

Endymion turned away, looking to the death god residing in his mirror.

"Lord Death," he began, folding his hands behind his back. "Since it looks as though we're at a stalemate, may I request the students of the Academy depart? I take your words into account, that these children shall not harm your son, but Ikelos and I still have a job."

"'Children?'" came the indignant snort of the blue-haired one. "Now hold up there, pretty boy! This big man isn't going anywhere until there is at least one plan of action! Isn't anyone going to offer any ideas or snap their fingers in front of Kid's face? Come on, Professor, there must be some scientific trick up that patched sleeve."

"Endymion has a point," Stein responded after a low sigh. "Since you can't do much right now, how about you all head downstairs?"

A few of the students appeared ready to protest, but they didn't argue. Even they could tell many of their words were futile, that they couldn't do much surrounding the reaper like vultures.

One by one, they began to leave, Albarn's daughter going first while the others followed. The two partners were the last to leave, casting apprehensive looks back at their unfortunate meister before closing the door behind them.

Endymion breathed a quiet sigh and positioned himself in front of the closed door while Ikelos returned to his spot by the window. This was the way it should be. Quiet and under control, not having to deal with a barrage of questions that couldn't be explained. Speaking of...

"I don't believe you were able to answer before," Endymion spoke, addressing Lord Death with a troubled frown. "What does the inner shinigami want with your son?"

The deity within the mirror lowered his masked face to the ground, a melancholic look shaping the hollow eyes. "If it is anything like last time, he is going to hurt Kid," he responded quietly. "I am unsure of how far the reaper will go, but I have a hunch. His ultimate goal is convince Kid of his true nature as a reaper. To do this, I think he means to... remake Kid."

"Remake?" Endymion echoed. "Exactly how might one hope to accomplish that?"

"Are you familiar with knitting, Endymion?"

The older man raised an eyebrow in response to the question. It wasn't one of Death's stranger inquiries, but he didn't believe the situation to be appropriate for seemingly nonsensical thoughts.

"Picture a knitted quilt that is halfway done, but then you spot a flaw visible for all eyes to see," Death continued without waiting for reply. "It's a simple error, nothing more, and you shrug it off. However, the perfectionist side of you despises it and won't let the matter go. You do the only thing you can to fix this disturbance: You unravel everything so you can start over."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

It wasn't fair, the way he was forced to rush past every mirror and pray the creature inside wasn't there. It was his own home, yet he snuck about as though he were the intruder, not the stranger with the cold features.

Kid scurried towards his room like a frightened hare, keeping his eyes closed as he closed the door with a solid bang. Sliding down the woodwork, the young reaper breathed a sigh of relief, happy to be away from the many reflections that could show his older self.

That previous night and morning, Death had offered to take down all the mirrors for his son, but Kid refused, saying the symmetry of the manor would be off and he'd feel lopsided all day. Besides, the way he saw it, removing all the mirrors would be like admitting defeat. That's when it would truly sink in, the fact he was running from the prying eyes of something dark. Keeping them up made everything feel normal, like there wasn't a strange phenomena making itself at home in Gallows Manor.

Still…

Kid gazed about his room with a dejected look.

… he could do without the running from the mirrors. He didn't dare look at them, fearing something would be there that wasn't natural. At the same time, avoiding mirrors had put him on edge since he couldn't check his own reflection. Was his hair still symmetrical? Maybe there was something on one side of his face and not the other. He couldn't cast aside his fears without looking at his reflection, both his real one and the twisted one.

Kid shook his head, tossing the thought aside. He wouldn't break. The figure in the mirror would soon give up and fade out of existence, and Kid would be free to perfect his image in the mirror without fearing dead eyes.

A series of synchronized chimes cut into his mind, causing him to jump. All the clocks in the manor were going off, signaling twelve o'clock with each perfect chime. He'd promised his father he'd call around this time, but the thought of facing a mirror was nauseating. He could always call the Academy using the phone, but people rarely did so. Besides, if he wanted to act like everything was normal, he would have to summon the courage and face his reflection, both young and possibly old.

As the last note echoed down the long hallways, Kid rose to his feet and pulled open the door, facing the corridor of glass panels. If he made it a quick conversation, maybe the mysterious reaper wouldn't have time to materialize.

Kid chose the first mirror in the hallway, a tall, narrow creation with a decorative frame. It had been a gift from one of the students of the Academy, so his father had told him. Most of the mirrors were, and there were only a few that Death had purchased himself. After the first few gifts, it had almost become something of a joke to continuously present mirrors to the death god.

Fogging up the glass, the young shinigami trailed the numbers of the Death Room across the tentative reflection gazing back at him. The surface shifted, startling him for a moment before his father's cheerful mask appeared, swaying from side to side.

"Hello, Kiddo," Lord Death exclaimed warmly. "How is your afternoon going? Are you getting your studying done?"

"I'm fine," Kid replied, nodding his head. "I finished my chapters in History of Souls and Their Wavelengths."

"Oh, good, good." Death nodded excitedly. "I know a number of the students favor that book. I've never read it myself, but I've heard the background of the Strong Souls is fascinating."

Kid forced a quick smile and cast a nervous glance over his shoulder at the mirror behind him but saw only himself and a fraction of his father.

"Is everything else alright?"

The young grim reaper turned his attention back to the headmaster, "This is my first time looking in a mirror all day," he answered softly. "I haven't seen anything."

Death was quiet, his mask morphing into a concerned expression though he responded that it was good news. "You let me know if anything happens. If you want, I can send someone over to spend the day with you until I get home. Miss Yumi Azusa has done quite well in her studies regarding the history of souls and wavelengths, so perhaps you could learn a bit from her?"

Kid sent his father a quick smile of reassurance, shaking his head slowly. "It's fine, Father, but I appreciate the thought. You'll be home tonight, and I can wait that long. Nothing has happened, and I don't believe there is a need to worry."

Lord Death appeared reluctant, but after an encouraging nod from his son, he produced a low sigh and shrugged his jagged shoulders. "Very well, Kiddo, if you insist. Will you return to studying in your room, at least?"

"I need to head to the kitchen for lunch, but then I shall. Goodbye, Father. I'll see you tonight."

After an uneasy farewell, the reflection of his father wavered and disappeared, leaving only himself. Kid squinted at his petite reflection, inspecting the smooth glass and the world within before nodding in satisfaction when it revealed no unwanted visitor.

He turned to stride down the hallway, stepping past the second mirror, the third, and the fourth. It was only until he reached the fifth when something moved past his own reflection, traveling in the opposite direction.

Kid hesitated. His legs urged him to keep walking, to lead one foot in front of the other until he was safe in the confines of the kitchen. Instead, he took a few steps back and turned to the mirror. It was empty, save for himself, but then something shifted off to the side, and the end of a black coat drifted into frame, followed by long legs, thin fingers, and finally, a grim face.

Kid moved to the side, disappearing out of the mirror and reappearing in the next. A second passed, and the dark reaper moved to stand behind him. Kid turned, racing down the hall, past every mirror, glancing to the side every so often and seeing the figure neck to neck with him. At last, Kid stopped in front of the final mirror at the top of the stairs. Two reflections gazed back, the one of himself and his fearful eyes and the other with its blank canvas of a face.

Kid looked around as if someone would arrive to help him discern the stranger's intentions, but, naturally, the manor was empty except for himself. Well... him and the man in the mirror.

The anxiety was beginning to form a cold brick in his head, and Kid shook himself stubbornly. He refused to be scared of this creature and to allow it the satisfaction of seeing him tremble.

Taking a deep breath, the young reaper looked his older reflection in the eyes and screamed, "What do you want!"

The dark reaper blinked cold eyes and didn't speak, nearly forcing Kid to look away, but the child reaper stood his ground. Not waiting any longer, Kid continued. "Why are you here? I am the son of Lord Death, and you don't have a right to be in my home or interfering with my life! Why can't you leave me alone!"

His outburst didn't yield any words from the reaper, and Kid opened his mouth to repeat his last demand when he noticed something. The expression of his older self had fractured, making way for something new. The impassive eyes had twisted to present glee, and his mouth...

Kid took a step back, gritting his teeth in annoyance. The dark reaper's mouth had curled into a satisfied smirk that sent a chill throughout Kid's soul. It didn't go away either, the eerie grin; it was plastered on the creature's pale face and drove a hole through everything in sight.

Kid turned and fled down the stairs.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

It continued like that for a few days. His father would ask him about the man in the mirror, and Kid would tell him he'd glimpsed him, but that was all. Never did the reaper speak to Kid or show any malice towards him. He was simply a fixture within Gallows Manor, a decoration that moved about at random and was a general nuisance, yet no one could get rid of him. Kid was the only one who saw the reaper due to the reflection tending to drift away whenever Death was around. It would have been easy to assume Kid was simply telling stories, but Death knew his son would never devise such falsehoods. What's more, the headmaster could tell by the unsettled look in his son's eyes that the dark reaper was quite real.

"I don't know why you haven't insisted Kid stay with you during the day. I've seen him studying in the Death Room before, so it wouldn't be a problem."

Lord Death turned to Spirit Albarn who was raising his arms helplessly. The shinigami had been pondering his son's situation in the Death Room when Spirit had arrived with a few comments regarding his fellow classmates and a specific mission. He always had news about Stein, both acceptable and unnerving. Death had then mentioned Kid's older reflection and soon explained everything to the weapon. After all, there was always a chance Spirit could grant helpful advice on the matter.

"If it were me, I'd have my eyes on him every hour of the day," the older teen continued. "Of course, I assume that's a fatherly thing to do, right? It wouldn't be weird to want to see your child all hours of the day and want to ditch your classes just to pinch their little, cherub cheeks, would it?"

The headmaster felt a smile work its way through him as he watched Spirit fidget. Ever since Kami Albarn had gotten pregnant, one would have thought the child had been born that instant. Spirit constantly fretted about things going wrong and wanting to see the baby who hadn't even seen the light of day. As the time grew closer, (only a few weeks now, Death imagined), Spirit had grown worse, constantly drilling Death on fatherly duties and trying to glean any information on how to be a parent. Once, the deity had suggested Spirit read a book on the subject, to which the scythe had skipped all his afternoon classes to tear apart the library. Stein had given him two hours and thirty-four minutes before pointing out the library didn't have any books on the matter and suggested the frantic weapon look elsewhere.

"You talked to Kid today, right?"

Breaking from his thoughts, Death nodded to Spirit. "Although he talks about the reaper hanging around during the day, I am proud of Kid for going about his daily life despite its presence. He tries not to think about it, and since that creature hasn't posed a threat to my son, I can allow Kid's actions. I would be more comfortable if someone were with him, or if I could bring him here, but I won't force Kid to run from this. If he believes in facing it, I'll respect that."

He wasn't entirely sure if Spirit was listening, for in the middle of his words, the red-haired teen had pulled a notebook from his back pocket and was taking notes from Death's speech. He was softly murmuring Death's words, scribbling crude lines onto the pages and smiling sheepishly at the shinigami.

"Sorry," he mumbled guiltily. "I'm just preparing myself for a few things."

"With any luck, your child won't find themselves in a position like Kid's," Death responded.

"What do you suppose it wants?" Spirit inquired. "You don't suppose it's just some supernatural abnormality, do you? It must have some reason for showing itself?"

"I would think so," Death sighed. "That's why it worries me. It has made no attempt to speak with my son or interact with him, so what purpose does it serve? What are its intentions?"

"And you have no way to speak with it? Kid is the only one who has seen it?"

"Indeed." Death nodded. "That seems to make it worse. It can't bother with other people, so my son is all it seems interested in. Perhaps it wouldn't even be visible to our own eyes, seeing as it could potentially be Kid's older self. If this is the case and should the time come when this dark reaper shows its true colors, how can I possible hope to protect my son?"

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: Nothin' rattles the cold shinigami. I did have an extra scene involving Spirit and baby names that was to be quite cute, but alas, it did not fit with the last part. Also, although Kami is not the actual name of Maka's mother, I chose to use it because it's convenient. I've seen her as Kami so many times that I didn't want to change anything.  
Thank you for reading and I hope to see you for chapter 6 when the books are whipped out and the minds get to plotting. Until then, take care!_


	6. Hollow Within the Soul

_A/N: Little bit of an author's note coming at you._

 _Before I begin this chapter, I just want to clarify a thing or two in case anyone is confused. Currently, this story is set after episode 24 of the anime and Asura was freed not long ago. The flashbacks with Kid are set in another time before the actual beginning of Soul Eater. Some of you may know that whenever I write for Kid's character, I always place him at an older age due to him being a shinigami. Although he's 14 in the series, I put him in his twenties or somewhere close in my own fanfiction In his flashbacks, he takes on a very young form and looks like a small child. In chapter 77 of the manga, there is a brief flashback with Kid as a child, so if anyone is familiar with that scene, that's the appearance I use. In his flashbacks in this story, Spirit, Stein, and the other Death Scythes are students in the Academy. As the flashbacks progress, more will be discovered and explained. I hope that clears up any bewildering pieces of info, but if there are any questions, feel free to leave a review and I'll see if I can answer them. ^^ Now, on to the main event._

 _Another chapter is done. I would like to thank everyone who has been reading, who has followed, reviewed, favorited, everything. I really appreciate it and I hope you continue to do so and enjoy every update. I apologize for the long wait, but I thank you for your patience. Enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or any other references mentioned throughout the story. _

Chapter 6: Hollow Within the Soul

 _'A room without books is like a body without a soul.'_

 _~ Marcus Tullius Cicero_

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Black Star snapped, giving the coffee table in front of him a hefty kick. The furniture shifted slightly, but if anything, the action only resulted in a throbbing toe that had the assassin hissing more curses.

"Black Star, why don't you sit down?" Tsubaki suggested, motioning to one of the empty chairs in the living room. After they had been somewhat banished from the upstairs, the group of friends had retreated to the living room of the manor and were pondering the events of the morning. So far, only Black Star had really spoken, mumbling under his breath with the occasional outburst.

"I don't even understand what's going on," Soul added, watching as his blue-haired friend paced back and forth and ignoring Tsubaki's suggestion.

"It doesn't seem like anyone does," Liz added scornfully before shaking her head in exasperation. "Honestly, they can't expect us to just sit here, can they?"

"Knowing you guys, of course you won't just sit there," came a quiet remark and everyone turned to the stairs and the man striding down them.

"Professor Stein," Maka spoke, rising to her feet. "Is there anything we can do? Please let us help."

"Right now, Lord Death is speaking with Endymion and Ikelos. Your father is up there, as well, and I don't think he intends to leave if he can help it. After the business with Asura and not being with Lord Death, he's been feeling guilty. He also wants to be by Kid's side like last time."

"Professor, what happened last time?" Tsubaki inquired, narrowing her eyes. "Maka's father said he was with Kid when things got worse, and Lord Death mentioned he might even be the reason Kid is alive now."

"What she means to say is we need some damn answers," Black Star interrupted, glaring pointedly at their professor. "Oh, it was so bad last time and Maka's old man had to help out. Did he wrestle the dark reaper or something? Spill it!"

With a sigh, Stein walked over to where the students were seated and took a spot in the empty chair Black Star had neglected. After a moment of thought, he said, "I can't give you the details on what happened back then, but I can give you the basic outline. If you want specifics, go speak with Spirit or Lord Death, but I can at least answer a few questions."

"That's great and all, but why aren't you up there right now?" Black Star muttered skeptically. "Don't they need you and your skills or something?"

"Do you want answers, Black Star, or shall I have you sit here in total confusion a bit longer?" Stein asked, turning to fix the assassin with his own cold stare. It sent the boy into a begrudging silence, and after a long breath, Stein began to speak.

"As Death explained, this happened to Kid when he was younger. He was alone a majority of the time, so you can probably imagine how unsettling it was for Death when his son spoke of a stranger he saw in a mirror. At first, they were cautious, but the older reaper didn't seem to want anything. He was a reflection and nothing more."

A few of the others nodded, and Tsubaki breathed a quiet sigh when Black Star seated himself on the arm of the couch beside her. Her meister didn't appear pleased, obviously, but at least he was listening to Stein's words.

"I don't remember how long it was until the reaper actually made a move," Stein continued, nudging the screw in his head with careful fingers. "Spirit would mention it to me every so often in school, how the reaper was completely inactive and then suddenly lashed out. When Spirit didn't show up to class for a few days, I had assumed he was busy worrying about Maka."

Everyone turned to the scythe meister whose cheeks reddened in alarm while she nervously cleared her throat.

Stein offered a slight smile. "You hadn't been born yet, but you were close. Spirit was in an absolute frenzy half of the time, which only made the situation with Kid all the more stressful. In a way, I suppose it was excellent practice for him when he had to take care of Kid before you entered the world."

"I would think that practice isn't what he had in mind for raising a child," Soul interjected in a dry tone.

"No," Stein agreed with a shake of his head. "No, it was not. When Spirit returned to class, he looked like he'd gone on a mission by himself. He told me the reaper had started to become a bigger problem and was a larger threat. Judging by the cuts on his arms, I didn't need much convincing. I went to Gallows Manor to help them once, but it was like battling air. Only Kid could see the inner reaper, so we were like flailing idiots trying to fight some invisible monster. Soul Perception was near impossible because it was like a jammed signal. Each mirror gave off his presence, so it was hard to pinpoint an exact location."

"So what happened in the end?" Liz demanded. "Maka's dad mentioned something about the reaper being buried in Kid's mind. You guys didn't get rid of him?"

"As I said before, fighting the reaper was a grueling task, so you can imagine our wariness when everything stopped and Kid was left alone," Stein responded quietly. "We didn't know where he'd gone."

"Until now," Black Star murmured. "Fine, so the dark reaper is back for round two, but what does that have to do with Tatter-face and Pretty in there?"

Tsubaki gave her partner a brief, scolding look, and the assassin closed his mouth, but not after uttering a soft, "Sorry. I don't remember their names."

"I don't know if you were aware of this, but there are actually those whose sole purpose is to protect Lord Death and his next in line," Stein explained. "It changes every so often, and you never usually see them unless it's a crisis such as this."

"Wait, so if Kid's so important that he needs bodyguards, why is he allowed to go on missions in the first place?" Soul demanded in bewilderment. "Judging from the blonde guy's attitude, they don't seem to like other people around Kid. I can only imagine how they feel about Kishin."

"Endymion can get wrapped up in his job," Stein admitted. "He's always been like that, even when we were kids. He seems to believe everything bears ill will towards Lord Death and his son, hence his less than welcoming attitude towards all of you."

"Hey, sticks and stones break bones but words don't really hurt," Black Star spoke up, tenderly rubbing his neck. "Endy might speak like we're all scum, but that other guy can probably pack a punch. Is he the brute strength in their little duo or what? I wouldn't mind a rematch since he caught me off guard."

Stein rolled his eyes before turning to Maka with a curious look. "Tell me, Maka, what did you sense about those two? Anything specific?"

Tsubaki watched as the scythe meister began to consider the question while she put her own thought into the inquiry. Aside from their contrasting appearances, the weapon couldn't say she'd noticed anything too special about either man. There was something about them that made her believe their skills were beyond hers or her friends, but that was to be expected. They were older, after all, so she could only assume they were more experienced.

"Their souls were different," Maka said after a moment. "They were definitely not regular human souls, but they almost reminded me of the werewolf Free, but I'm almost sure neither of them were immortal."

"Very close," Stein praised with a nod. "Both Endymion and Ikelos possess Strong Souls and were recruited by the Academy when they were younger. They used to work for a kishin named Abhoth and collected human souls for him. Their situation was similar to that of the samurai Mifune."

"No wonder I want to fight that Ikelos guy again," Black Star murmured, glancing at Tsubaki who only presented a tired smile.

"When we defeated Abhoth, we gave both of them a choice: Work with us in the DWMA or end everything right then and there," Stein finished. "Both agreed to join the Academy and after working through their classes and training endlessly, they were fit to guard Lord Death and Kid. It made sense, after all. Only the most skilled are suitable, so why not allow the two bearing Strong Souls?"

"There was one other thing," Maka interjected with a look of confusion. "I'm not sure how to explain it, but the man with the scarred face—Ikelos—I thought I sensed something off about his soul. It's almost like when I saw Crona's soul for the first time and glimpsed Ragnarok right next to her."

"Well done," Stein said in approval. "You noticed it as soon as you saw Ikelos possessed a Strong Soul, didn't you? Although his wavelength is impressive and reaches very far, you were able spot a smaller soul within it?"

"I thought I was seeing things," the scythe meister responded in bewilderment. "But I'm not, am I? Does Ikelos have living blood like Crona?"

Stein scratched the back of his head with a troubled frown and glanced up the stairs in the direction of Kid's room. After a moment of consideration, he turned back to the curious eyes of his students and released a sigh.

"Due to having strong souls, neither Ikelos or Endymion needed weapon partners. They preferred to work together anyway, but Ikelos made friends." Stein smiled slightly as he received a few looks of disbelief. "Oddly enough, he was more social than Endymion. He didn't mind associating with his classmates, and he soon grew close to the demon weapon Chan Tico. They became partners despite Ikelos's ability to fight on his own."

"By possessing a Strong Soul, their Soul Resonance abilities must have been out of this world," Soul muttered quietly. "How quickly did Chan Tico become a Death Scythe? That had to have been some kind of record."

Stein's smile disappeared and he shook his head. "She never did. They almost succeeded, though. Unfortunately, there was an accident during a mission against some witches. Many students were involved, but it was Ikelos and Chan who were most affected. The entire group who went on the mission were soon overpowered, and, sadly, Chan didn't exactly make it out. Ikelos seemed to retreat within himself after that, speaking only to Endymion and Lord Death when times called for it."

"That's horrible," Tsubaki responded quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor. "He was taken in by the Academy and found a partner only to have her torn away from him. I can't imagine a worse feeling."

"Is that why his face is...?" Maka trailed off, making slight indications to her own skin. "The damage is beyond that of a simple accident, so I assume a witch was the cause. It looks like he was caught in an explosion and shrapnel ripped his face apart and some of it still hasn't been removed."

"That's partially correct," Stein confirmed slowly. "However, what you've seen embedded in Ikelos's skin is not shrapnel from a blade or a nearby structure that was detonated." Their teacher's mouth fell into a grim line as he met the eyes of his students. "Those are pieces of glass. Chan Tico was a Demon Mirror and while wielding her in the middle of battle, one of the witches obliterated her."

Everyone went silent, staring at the older man in shock as he slowly rose to his feet, murmuring, "It's a sore subject for Ikelos. Like Ragnarok and Crona, Chan Tico is able to reside within her meister in permanent weapon form. Very rarely can this happen, but it's believed Chan Tico survives thanks to Ikelos's Strong Soul. It provides her own soul with strength to continue, so they share the same physical form."

"Can they speak with each other?" Tsubaki asked, thinking of the rather abusive relationship Crona had with her own partner.

"At times, yes," Stein responded. "Ikelos mentioned hearing her when Lord Death asked. Her presence does take its toll on him, too. I suppose you could say they have a tentative, symbiotic relationship. Ikelos has the company of his friend, and Chan provides guidance in the occasional battle. She's an extra set of eyes and ears for him. She is forced to feed off his soul to survive, but the two are able to manage."

Turning away from the students, Stein peered back towards the staircase and rotated the screw in his head a second time. "I should be returning back to them. If there is any news, I'll let you all know."

"Professor Stein, wait!" Maka protested, but after a look of sympathy from their professor, she bowed her head. "Are you sure there is nothing we can do?"

Stein speculated the anxious faces before him, his mouth tightening while he considered the quiet plea. After a moment, his shoulders fell in exasperation and he responded, "We didn't want—No." The meister turned his back and made his way towards the stairs. "I'm sorry, but there isn't anything for you to do. It's probably best if you all returned to school. You shouldn't skip your classes."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

Black Star returned to pacing as soon as Stein had disappeared upstairs, and everyone looked on edge. Patty still hadn't spoken a word since they'd arrived, Tsubaki noticed with a worried glance. She was so used to seeing the younger sister hyper and bouncing off the walls, but the girl before her was drained of her usual energy and left with just enough to keep her standing.

"Screw it."

Tsubaki flinched at the sudden hiss, turning in alarm as Liz sprung to her feet and stalked out of the living room. She didn't head up the stairs like everyone suspected she would, but rather strode right past and exited through the double doors beside them. It didn't take the others long to pursue the demon pistol, calling after the girl to slow down and explain herself.

Tsubaki watched their reflections pass each mirror in the long corridor they hurried down, one worried face after another. She couldn't remember ever being in this part of the manor during the rare parties Kid, or rather Liz and Patty, would throw. Their footsteps echoed in the hallway, and when Liz impatiently shoved past the heavy doors at the end, no one hesitated to follow.

The room beyond brought an awestruck silence to a few of the students, and Tsubaki looked around in surprise. Shelves covered every inch of the room, each one a resting place for a vast collection of books. A few were stacked neatly on long tables positioned throughout the area but the chairs and couches were clear. Everything was arranged so tidily, it reminded Tsubaki of the Academy's library only smaller.

"I know I'm not usually the one to look to books for answers," Liz spoke up, already halfway across the room and pulling thick volumes from their shelves, "but I'm at a loss, okay? Maka, do you know anything about this kind of situation? I know you're desperately searching for ways to help, we all are, so have you read anything that could give us some info?"

"I...I'm not sure," Maka responded uneasily, going to Liz's side and accepting a few books from her. "I've read a few things about shinigami and volume seventeen of the Soul Knowledge series. A chapter in that one mentioned a soul's reflection through a mirror."

"Good, good," Liz murmured distractedly, climbing a ladder to reach the third shelf above her head. "I know Stein says we can't do much, but books always provide answers, right? There must be something in here we can use."

Everyone looked back and forth at each other, unsure of how to respond, and Tsubaki had a feeling they were all reaching the same concern. Were they just grasping at straws and making a futile attempt to keep the cold feeling of uselessness at bay? What could they find in a book that the more advanced minds at Kid's side didn't already know?

"Come on, guys," Liz begged, motioning weakly to the books around them. "Please, there has to be something. Maka, you believe something here can help us, right?"

Again, silence fell on each of them, shrouding the room in a dreadful cloak until, finally, a voice rose up.

"If my bookworm of a meister can't find something in these books to help our friend, then what was the point of all that reading?"

Maka turned to gaze at Soul in surprise and was met by his usual smirk as the scythe walked over to a shelf on the opposite end of the room and began trailing through the titles.

"Yeah, Maka," Black Star agreed after a snort of disdain. "Tell us what to find."

One by one, Tsubaki watched her friends file over to the shelves and ascend ladders, pulling books out to inspect the contents and throw questions to the scythe meister.

"To start, anything about the conditions of a soul while someone is comatose," Maka responded, taking a few more books from Liz and peering at the covers. "Depending on what we find, we'll narrow down the search even more. If anyone can find the series _Reflected Beings_ by Culverin Smith, that may help. Any books on shinigami, too. Liz, do you know if you have _The Duties of Varying Death_? I've read it before, and I think it has a few areas we can go over."

"Give the bookworm what she wants," Soul called down from his perch on a high ladder, earning an exasperated smile from his meister. "Hey, do you know what _Sound Soul_ is? It looks like an instruction manual of some sort."

"It's a guide to suppressing your soul wavelength so the bad guys don't see you coming," Black Star piped up from where he stood at the base of the ladder. When the assassin's words were met with confused eyes, he mumbled sheepishly, "Sid gave it to me. Said something about me being too obnoxious or something and needing to tone it down so the enemies wouldn't spot me."

"I'm sure it was a real page turner for you," Liz responded sarcastically, though she did surrender a brief grin.

Together, the group of friends pulled books from shelves, pondered their titles and contents, and began making theories about how they could help their friend. Luckily, they were able to locate numerous books with information on grim reapers, but a majority of the information was already known to them or Maka. A few books mentioned creatures capable of taking over its victim's soul, but none were close to their own predicament.

"Another dud," Black Star growled, tossing aside a large volume he'd been paging through. "Who knows how long it will take to find anything useful. The only thing we've really concluded is that Kid is as big a nerd as Maka, but that was fairly obvious from the start."

Casting a glare at her friend, the scythe meister closed her own book and released a discouraged sigh. "Of course this is going to take awhile, everyone, but it's all we can do. If we have to wait, we might as well do research that could help."

"Maka's right," Tsubaki added as she stepped down off a ladder with a few hardcovers under her arm. "There's bound to be something, right?"

"Something or not, what if we could be helping another way?" Soul inquired. "Is there anyone aside from those upstairs who is trained in this sort of thing? Are there any doctors we could be contacting?"

"I'm sure Stein and the others would have done that from the start," Maka concluded softly. "Endymion and Ikelos both arrived quickly, after all."

"Come on, guys. We can't give up," Liz protested, glancing to Patty for support, but the younger sister had disappeared into a book with intense eyes.

"We're not giving up," Black Star retorted. "This big man isn't about to surrender so easily, especially when he's got to kick his friend's ass for being such a pain!"

Tsubaki couldn't understand her meister's energy at a time like this, but she didn't deny it was helpful. His optimism rubbed off on herself and the others, an unconscious act for which she was grateful. Loudmouth that he was, the assassin was surprisingly helpful in that regard.

With a soft smile, Tsubaki turned another page in the book she'd fetched from one of the high shelves, eyeing the table of contents. It was about different techniques and characteristics of the soul, and she frowned in curiosity while trailing her finger along the chapter names. Shape of the Soul. Resonance of the Soul. Ring of the Soul. Hollow of the Soul.

Tsubaki paused before turning to the middle of the relatively short tome, reading the first few sentences and raising her head to the others.

"Maka, have you read this book?" she inquired, softly tapping the pages. "Do you know about the Ring or Hollow of the soul?"

The scythe meister set aside her own book and walked over to where Tsubaki was seated, scanning the words with consideration before responding, "No, I don't think so. What is it?"

Raising her voice for the others to hear, Tsubaki read, "'The Ring of the soul is a great expanse a Seer of souls can disappear within should they possess the correct techniques. It is in this never ending black where one might find themselves amongst the souls of whom they are surrounded. The Ring may be accessed while a Seer is locating the soul of another, or it can be seen during a time of great stress when an abundance of souls are suddenly present. Being in the midst of a great battle can usually cause much disarray for a Seer.'"

"Seer of souls?" Black Star echoed, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"It must be the ancient term for Soul Perception." Maka suggested. "I wonder if it's describing the darkness when people with Soul Perception pinpoint the souls around them. I never really thought it had a specific name. I always thought it was a convenience for us to better locate and view the souls of whoever was in front of us."

"Apparently, it plays a larger role than that," Tsubaki continued, turning a page in the old book. "It says the Ring of souls is the area where a Seer can interact with the spirit of their own or of another. If skilled enough, a Seer of souls can come into contact with the soul of another and gain access into their soul's Hollow."

"So what, like entering a deeper portion of someone's soul?" Black Star mumbled, casting a dreary look at the tattered pages in his partner's hands. "That's cheesy. Excalibur didn't write that one, too, did he?"

"Hold on a moment," Soul interjected, leaning over the table to speculate the book and the sketched image on one of the brittle pages. "This Hollow thing... How is it described?"

"It says that the Hollow can be patterned however the soul's possessor sees acceptable," Tsubaki responded. "'It may be molded after a childhood home, the location of a cherished memory, or even a place that saw much hardship.'"

"Soul's room with the piano," Maka whispered in realization as Soul nodded shortly. "But I thought that was simply a place Soul had created in his mind, not his soul?"

"According to the book, it's essentially one in the same," Tsubaki responded, tracing the words with a finger. "It says if two partners are carrying out a Soul Resonance, their minds become linked and both partners will usually find themselves in an echo of the soul's Hollow belonging to either weapon or meister."

"Does everyone have one?" Maka inquired, tilting her head in curiosity.

"It appears so," Tsubaki said after skimming the next few sentences. "It is easily accessible to weapons, though meister's can occasionally disappear within their own. I think mine is an area with a large expanse of water. When I had to face my brother, the atmosphere around us looked almost sickly. It wasn't until he... he was gone that it changed."

"I don't recall ever seeing one," Liz interjected, glancing at Patty who shook her head. "Perhaps we haven't found ours yet?"

"Well, then, neither have I," Black Star interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "Aside from that, does this help us in any way with Kid? Do you think he has one of these Hollows in his soul, too?"

A few of them glanced at one another, pondering the suggestion while Maka motioned for the book and began reading the next few paragraphs. "It says there are some who can train themselves to effectively fight in this form, as well as communicate with others. 'If strong enough, one can enter the Hollow of another and expel them from it. This can lead to damage of the host's mind and soul.'"

"You don't think Kid's inner reaper is doing that, do you?" Liz asked in a hesitant voice. "Maybe he wants to take over Kid's entire being and this is the first step? Kid's simply fending him off while comatose."

"That may be true," Maka agreed, "but let's look at this from a different angle. Kid's dark reaper may be trying to kick him out, but he's not the only one who can do that. What if we find a way into Kid's soul and subconscious and take on the reaper ourselves?"

Liz opened her mouth to speak and closed it again, careful not to appear too hopeful. Everyone else seemed just as hesitant, though Black Star kept rocking back on his heels with anticipation.

"I hate to say it, but are we strong enough for that?" Soul inquired. "Although I've spent time in the room with the piano, I've never gone anywhere else. Maka, you were able to enter my mind when we were planning how to stop Crona during the fight beneath the Academy. It was because of our Soul Resonance that we were connected. You were only able to access Crona's soul and Hollow by accepting the influence of madness from the Black Blood."

"That's true," Maka responded. "From the way the book talks about it, someone doesn't need Black Blood or a Soul Resonance to enter a soul's Hollow, right?"

"'If one has trained relentlessly, their skills may be on a level that allows the access of a soul's Hollow without the consent of the owner,'" Tsubaki read before returning her gaze to Maka and Soul. "It appears to be possible without Black Blood or Soul Resonance."

"Black Blood or not, do you have enough practice being in a soul's Hollow?" Liz asked. "It sounds like you need practice or have to be really familiar with the Ring or Hollow of souls to pull off something like breaking and entering."

"But we might know someone who is," Soul interjected as everyone turned to him with puzzled expressions. With a brief shrug, the scythe murmured, "How familiar is Crona with the Hollow of her own soul?"

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: That's right. It's about time we drag Crona out of her corner and into this madness. I've been excited to include her, so I'm hoping to write some interesting things. I really like Crona, so yay.  
Chan Tico - This character is named after Chantico, __the Aztec goddess_ _of the home's hearth and the fire within. I chose her name while keeping Tezca Tlipoca in mind, another character named after an Aztec god.  
Abhoth - A reference to stories by Clark Ashton Smith. His works are along the lines of HP Lovecraft, and I especially enjoy his story The Tale of Satampra Zeiros.  
Culverin Smith - The first name is from the medieval weapon that was once akin to a musket but then turned into the cannon. As for the last name, it's a slight Attack on Titan joke.  
I am hoping to explain more about Rings and Hollows in the next chapter or so. As of right now, I'm still working out a couple of details._

 _I hope you enjoyed chapter 6. I thank AutumnMobile12 for any input she gave for the chapter, specifically for the term 'hollow.' With any luck and little to no writer's block, chapter 7 should be around sooner or later._


	7. Spark of Hope

_A/N: Alright, as you know, this chapter took awhile... I apologize for that. Things got a little hectic.  
_ _Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater, so yeah..._

Chapter 7: Spark of Hope

 _"...And you will dig your claws in and you'll fight over him like beasts until you rip him apart."_

 _~ Cersei Lannister – Game of Thrones_

As the five friends ascended the stairs towards Kid's room, Liz couldn't help the brief flickers of hope. Finally, they didn't have to sit around doing nothing. Once they carried out their plan, hopefully they could obtain more answers about Kid's condition, even if they were to fail.

Coming to a stop outside the closed door to their meister's room, Liz glanced over at her sister. To her relief, Patty was staring back with a little more life in her eyes than the previous hours had granted. She looked ready to jump into their meister's soul herself, and Liz couldn't blame her.

Looking back at the others, Maka raised her hand to the door only to have it be pulled open before her fist could make contact. A somewhat irritated Endymion glared at the five of them and probably would have closed the door if not for Stein's order the let them in.

The room was exactly as they'd left it, though Spirit was sitting at Kid's bedside and frowned in bewilderment as he watched his daughter enter with her friends.

"I know you said there wasn't anything we can do," Maka began before anyone could push them out. "We knew that couldn't be the case, so we all did some research in the library, and we think we found something that could help."

Endymion's eyes twisted to the ceiling with a sneer, but from where he sat in the mirror, Death turned to Stein who regarded the five students with a grim expression. Neither said anything, but Liz didn't like the shared silence between them, as if there was some darker truth behind everything.

"We found this," Maka continued, presenting the withered volume for them all to see. "It talks about Rings and Hollows of the soul, something that users of Soul Perception have seen. I've seen the Ring of the soul multiple times, I just never knew it had a name. As for the Hollow, I've been to both belonging to Soul and Crona. Tsubaki has seen her own as well, and the book states if you can enter someone's soul and get into their Hollow, you can throw the owner out of it."

Spirit opened his mouth to speak, but closed it just as quickly, eyes drifting warily to Stein and Death.

"We think we can get into Kid's soul and kick the reaper out," Liz quickly concluded, growing uncomfortable with the exchanged looks. "We decided we just need someone with practice, and Maka brought up Crona's Hollow and how Crona has probably spent a lot of time there, and—"

"The child with the demonic blood?" Endymion exclaimed suddenly, eyes widening in horror. "How could you even begin to suggest we let that creature in here—"

"Creature?" Black Star spat dubiously. "She isn't a creature, okay? Sure, she might have her odd moments, but Maka brought her over to our side, so to doubt Crona is to doubt Maka, and if you think you can get away with that, you've got another thing coming!"

Endymion took a step forward, the muscles in his arms going taught as he prepared to lash out. Black Star raised his own hands and sneered at the older man, motioning for the other to attack.

"Enough," Stein spoke up, shooting a look at Black Star who reluctantly withdrew. Positive the assassin wouldn't suddenly jump at Endymion, the professor lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck with a look of exhaustion. "All of you put quite a bit of thought into this, didn't you?"

"It was all we could do," Maka responded quietly. "We're just glad we can help in some way."

Liz nodded in agreement, shooting their professor a hopeful look. Too much time had already been wasted from the time she had been unable to wake her meister to Stein's look of resignation now. Now if they would just take a look at the dumb book, they could begin the whole saving process.

"Your research is impressive," Stein murmured. "And your plan is... I'm sure it seems possible, but..."

Liz swallowed against something pinching her throat. _Seems possible? What's the problem with it? What aren't they telling us?_

"I know you are all worried and feel like you can't help," Stein continued, "but it would be best...I'm sorry, but it would simply be best if you all went back to the Academy, back to class."

Maka looked taken aback by their teacher's words and she looked to the others for help before responding, "We wouldn't have been able to focus. You said so yourself that we won't be able to sit around and do nothing, so we chose to do research and we believe what we found can help."

"Maka," Spirit began, shaking his head at his daughter. "This situation... I don't think it's one that we can handle using books alone."

"I know," Maka responded. "It will take a considerable amount of skill and a lot of concentration, but we think the idea of the soul's Hollow is worth looking into. Really, Papa. The book even explains how to get into someone's Hollow and interact with the soul's owner, so if you would just look at the book..."

Liz looked to Maka as the scythe meister trailed off, watching as the meister's look of anticipation morphed into one of shocked realization.

"You already knew." Maka's voice was barely above a whisper as she focused disbelieving eyes on her father and then Stein. "You knew about both Hollows and Rings, didn't you, but why…? Why didn't you bring it up? Why aren't you attempting it right now? Endymion and Ikelos... surely they're skilled enough for it?"

"You have to realize just what it is you're discussing," Stein began, turning to Death who only nodded. "The terms 'Hollow' and 'Ring' are quite old. Nowadays, neither are really taught or mentioned in the books, but you may see a brief footnote on a page or two."

"Why isn't it taught anymore?" Black Star demanded, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "It's not like these Rings and Hollows disappeared, right? Tsubaki has one, she said so. Soul does, Crona does, and I'm sure I do, too."

"Around the time that book was written, meisters and weapons were drunk on the idea of Rings and Hollows," Stein explained, backing up so he could sit down at the desk near the window. "You didn't even need to have Soul Perception to accomplish it, though that was a big help. Everyone was experienced in accessing Hollows back then, both Hollows belonging to themselves and others. People would disappear inside their souls for hours at a time. In the waking world, they would turn motionless or sometimes drift off to sleep. Occasionally, the only possible communication was through the Hollows of each other."

"So how come we've never heard of this?" Liz exclaimed in mild alarm. "Although it may not be taught, it sounds like a rather important moment in history."

"It is mentioned in an Advanced Class that you all won't be taking for quite some time," Stein replied. "And it's not like there is too much to say. We shorten up the history. It's been a long time since someone could travel so freely from soul to soul, but back then, it was completely natural. It got to the point where meisters could get into the souls of their enemies and destroy kishin from the inside out. This became known as Soul Expulsion, and it is one of the most dangerous skills anyone could possess now."

"Could we do it, though?" Maka inquired. "Is it possible to get into Kid's soul and cast the the dark reaper out? If it has been done before, then surely—"

"That's not it," Spirit interrupted. "It takes a considerable amount of effort to even get into a soul's Hollow, but one that is already occupied by not only the owner, but another being? And don't forget that this other being is a grim reaper. This isn't a simple kishin whose mind and soul you are trying to damage. This is a reaper's soul you are trying to protect while cleansing it of something destructive."

"Sounds like a plan," Black Star declared, clapping his hands together. "So can we get this show on the road?"

"This isn't a performance," Endymion scolded. "You are suggesting that you break into a soul that is not your own and battle a creature within why the host lies defenseless? Don't you know what that could do to the young reaper's mind? The darker reaper could use that child's soul and conscious against you, and while you attempt to tear that creature down, you'll also deteriorate the mind of the next Lord Death."

"But we can't just give up," Tsubaki spoke for the first time since entering the room. "Lord Death, he is your son, as well as our friend, and we're all willing to do anything for him. Right?"

A long silence settled over the room, interrupted by the faint _tick tick tick_ of the clock like a weak heartbeat. For a long time, no one spoke, contemplating the discussion with grim expressions.

"Is that it, then?" Make finally murmured hoarsely before impatiently clearing her throat. "You're all just going to sit here and stare at Kid and wonder what to do? There is a chance Kid's mind will be damaged, but there is also the possibility of him being left unharmed."

"Exactly!" Black Star agreed. "And if we don't try this, what's our outcome, huh? Is this dark reaper going to kill Kid, because if so, I'll take my chances with Kid being messed up in the head after all this. Besides, Soul already went to get Crona."

"You decided to get Crona without running the plan by any of us first?" Stein demanded, the fatigue in his eyes morphing into disapproval. "What made you think you could take that decision and this entire process into your own hands?"

"We might as well if you won't do anything!" Black Star spat.

"Black Star's right," Liz added before raising her hands defensively. "I know those are the last words you expect to hear from me, but I say we're past twiddling our thumbs and onto the testing of things, okay?"

"You will use your friend as a lab rat?" Endymion chuckled bitterly. "Your ways of trial and error will lead to his demise, so I suggest you all-"

"We put them in a position to fight the kishin Asura."

Everyone turned to the mirror where Lord Death resided, his skull mask bent into a thoughtful expression. Slowly, he raised his large, gloved hands as if shrugging helplessly.

"Only a few weeks ago, you were all beneath the Academy, defending the city against witches, a werewolf, and kishin," Death continued. "You all stand here now, alive and well. Crona has even been taken in by the Academy, despite her previous affiliations."

"Lord Death, you can't possibly be asking them to do this?" Spirit whispered.

"I'm not asking anything of them," Death responded quietly. "This is something they desperately want to try. If we don't allow it now, there is no telling whether or not they'll attempt it on their own. It is best if we help and guide them through this endeavor, or else things will end horribly, without a doubt."

"They're only students," Stein argued.

"Students you lead in a fight against the Witch Medusa and allowed to continue on while you remained engaged with the enemy," Death pointed out. "Did you know exactly what it was they would be facing? Did you know what predicaments you were sending them into?"

"That wasn't the same."

"Of course not." Death released a low sigh and shook his head before addressing everyone. "Now it's my son's life at stake, and this is our only plan of action at the moment. Every second we spend trying to find answers is precious time lost. A cruel entity is carving away at Kid's mind and we have to do something, so I will allow you to do this." He turned to Maka and the others, the hollows of his mask dipping in concern. "If you truly believe you are strong enough, I won't stop you. However, if I even begin to suspect something is off or your lives are in danger, this fight will not continue and you will be ordered to draw back. If Professor Stein, Spirit, or myself give the order to stop, you will not pursue the enemy. Even Endymion and Ikelos can give commands to desist if they see fit."

Liz looked to her friends who exchanged nervous glances with one another before Maka turned her attention to their headmaster and delivered a firm nod. "We're going to save him, Lord Death," she stated firmly. "We won't give up."

—-/—-\—-|—-/—-\—-

Kid released a long yawn, withdrawing from the open book on his bed and sliding from the mattress to the floor. Had he really been reading the whole morning? That certainly explained why his stomach was protesting rather loudly.

Exiting his room, the young reaper stretched his arms to the ceiling, feeling a satisfying shift in his spine as he continued down the hall. Despite the mirrors surrounding him, he had little concern about the sinister reflection suddenly appearing. For the first time in awhile, his nerves were calm and he'd just about forgotten about the oddity. He was too busy contemplating the most recent chapters assigned in his textbook, plus he was trying to determine what sounded good for lunch.

His entire day might have continued like this, the way things used to be when he didn't worry about a stranger in his home. He would have continued down the stairs, meandered around the first floor, and settled himself down in the kitchen, just as he once did before the dark reaper's visits.

But that wasn't the case.

Kid was halfway down the hall when he heard it, the quietest sigh like that of a breeze drifting through a crack in a glass pane.

"I'm still here, even when you're not looking."

The young reaper whipped around, breath catching in his throat as he searched every mirror. There. The one near the top of the stairs had been tinted black, and even if it was just glass, Kid could feel a menacing chill emanating from it.

Laughter. Now Kid could hear the reaper's cackles, slender like the edge of a knife. Each one echoed down the corridor, surrounding Kid and wrenching the child's spine into an agonizing knot.

Slowly, Kid began to back away before he spun on his heel and fled back to the safety of his room, desperately attempting to block out the malicious hysterics that refused to die out.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _This chapter was a bit difficult for me to write. Writer's block kind of hit around this time, so the entire chapter is only so-so for me. However, w_ _ith any luck, this is the last step of preparation. It's about time for them to take action, to move into the war, to throw a pie at somebody... Okay, maybe not that last one, but we'll see where this goes. Again, sorry for the long wait, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


End file.
